Downpatrick historic monument gets makeover

Environment Minister Alex Attwood announced work has begun to preserve the Mound of Down, one of Northern Ireland’s largest monuments.

The Mound, near Downpatrick, was known as Dundalethglas, and it may be the site that gave both the county, and the town, its name.

 The area is a large, oval-shaped enclosure larger than four football pitches. In recent years, vegetation and trees growing on the Mound have concealed it from public view and have began to threaten the physical integrity and archaeology of the site.

Speaking about the project Alex Attwood said: “Even though the Mound of Down is one of the most important monuments we have, many people are unaware of its existence.

 “To enhance the site and make it more accessible for visitors, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency has begun work to control the trees and vegetation which obscure the site. Accessibility will be improved and new interpretation panels explaining the history of the Mound will also be installed.”

To assist with the work, a geophysical survey of the Mound to study the archaeology and a ground survey to locate any areas harbouring protected wildlife species, have already been completed.

Explaining how the project will be carried out, the Minister said: “The first phase will involve removing some non-native trees such as sycamore, while invasive shrubbery, such as gorse and brambles will be cut back to reveal the shape of the mound. At the same time, leaving unaffected areas which are havens for wildlife.

“This work will greatly improve the visibility of the Mound from Down Cathedral and from the direction of the Belfast Road, improve the view from the summit and make it easier for visitors to walk around the site. Work is also planned to upgrade the paths within the site.”

The work will take four to six weeks and will be completed by the end of February ahead of the nesting season.