Piper's Stones

The Pipers Stones
History

Location	County Wicklow, Province of Leinster
Type	Stone circle
Width	23m
Founded	1400-500 BCE
Periods	late Bronze age
Site notes
Ownership	Public
Public access	Yes

National Monument of Ireland
Reference no.	416^[1]

The Piper's Stones or the Athgreany stone circle is a bronze age stone circle at Athgreany, County Wicklow. It sits on a low hillock overlooking the N81, 2 km south of Hollywood.^[2]

Description

The stone circle sits on the end of a low ridge, enclosed at a distance by high ground on all sides. It is thought that someone attempted to remove the circle unsuccessfully, disturbing the stones placement in the process. Now the site is composed of 16 granite boulders, with 5 remaining in their original placements.^[2] In the Ordnance Survey of 1941 reported 29 stones originally.^[3] There has been no archaeological investigation of the site, so the construction date is only estimated to be from the late Bronze age,^[2] approximately 1400-500 BCE. The circle is roughly 23m in diameter. An outlying larger stone, 2m in height, stands outside the circle to the north east. Some of the stones show signs of degraded carved megalithic art, consisting of grooves and cup-marks.^[3]

History

The stone's name, The Piper's Stones, is believed to have derived from a local folk tale that said those caught dancing there on a Sunday would turn to stone, with the stones representing such revellers.^[3] An outlying stone on the north east represents the piper.^[2] There is an old hawthorn tree growing around the stone's circumference, this tree is associated with fairies and other folklore.^[4]

There are 4 other circles that have been given the same name, another in County Wicklow, 2 in County Kildare, and one more in County Kerry. These others also have a similar folk tale associated with them, and has been seen as a way of classifying such circles.^[3]

Access

The site is sign-posted, and there is parking on a hard-shoulder. The circle is accessed over a locked gate or over a wooden style. From the style the circle is 200m up a low hill.^[2]

References

↑ "National Monuments of County Wicklow in State Care" (PDF). National Monument Service. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
1 2 3 4 5 "The Pipers Stones at Athgreany, Hollywood, Co. Wicklow". Cultural Heritage Ireland. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
1 2 3 4 "Athgreany Piper’s Stones". Voices from the Dawn. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
↑ "Athgreany Stone Circle". Megalithic Ireland. Retrieved 5 July 2015.

European megaliths

Armenia	Metsamor Zorats Karer

Azerbaijan	Gobustan Rocks

England	Arbor Low Avebury Barbrook One Birkrigg Boscawen-Un Boskednan Brown Willy Cairns The Bull Ring Burnmoor stone circles Castlerigg Craddock Moor Devil's Arrows Doll Tor Drizzlecombe Duloe Fernacre Gardom's Edge Goodaver Grey Wethers Hoarstones Hordron Edge Hurlers Leper Stone Long Meg and Her Daughters Mên-an-Tol The Merry Maidens Mitchell's Fold Nine Ladies Nine Stones, Altarnun Pipers Rollright Rudston Monolith Scorhill Stannon Stanton Drew Stonehenge Stripple Swinside Trippet

France	Barnenez Tumulus of Bougon Caixa de Rotllan Carnac Menhir de Champ-Dolent Dolmen de Bagneux Broken Menhir of Er Grah Filitosa Gallardet Dolmen Gavrinis Harrespil Kerzerho Locmariaquer megaliths Mane Braz Paddaghju Peyre-Brune Tremeca Verziau of Gargantua

Germany	Megaliths in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Lancken-Granitz dolmens

Ireland	Ardgroom Beltany stone circle Bohonagh Brownshill Dolmen Brú na Bóinne Carrigagulla Carrowmore Castlestrange stone Creevykeel Court Tomb Drombeg Gaulstown Portal Tomb Glantane East Grange stone circle High cross Knocknakilla Meehambee Dolmen Piper's Stones Poulnabrone dolmen Reask Templebryan Stone Circle Turoe stone Uragh Stone Circle

Jersey	Jersey Dolmens La Hougue Bie

Malta	Ġgantija Ħaġar Qim Ħal-Saflieni Megalithic Temples of Malta Mnajdra Ta' Ħaġrat Temples Skorba Tarxien

Netherlands	Hunebed

Northern Ireland	Aughlish Ballynoe Beaghmore Corick Drumskinny Legananny Giant's Ring

Poland	Brąchnówko Grzybnica Odry Węsiory

Portugal	Almendres Cromlech Anta Grande do Zambujeiro Cunha Baixa Dolmen

Russia	Dolmens of North Caucasus Thunder Stone Megaliths in the Urals Russian Geoglyph

Scandinavia	Picture stones Runestones Stone circles Stone ships

Scotland	Balquhain Callanish I II III IV VIII X Carlin Cat Stane Clach an Trushal Colmeallie Drybridge Easter Aquhorthies Lochmaben Stone Pictish Ring of Brodgar Sheldon Stenness Steinacleit Strichen Yonder Bognie

Ukraine	Boundary stones

Wales	Barclodiad y Gawres Bedd Arthur Bedd Taliesin Bodowyr Bryn Cader Faner Bryn Celli Ddu Bryn Gwyn stones Capel Garmon Carreg Coetan Arthur Carreg Samson Coetan Arthur Foel Chwern Llanfechell Lligwy Burial Chamber Maen Llia Maen Madoc Meini Hirion Moel Tŷ Uchaf Parc Cwm long cairn Pentre Ifan St Lythans burial chamber Tinkinswood Tŷ Newydd Burial Chamber Whetstones

General articles	Standing stone Dolmen Henge Menhir Stone circle Stone row Concentric stone circle Recumbent stone circle Chambered cairn Harrespil Photographs of stone circles Middle Eastern megaliths

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Coordinates: 53°04′19″N 6°36′46″W / 53.0719°N 6.6128°W / 53.0719; -6.6128

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