King's Stables

The King's Stables is an archaeological site in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The earthwork known as the King’s Stables is a Scheduled Historic Monument in the townland of Tray, in Armagh City and District Council area, at grid ref: H8388 4546.^[1]

Features

It consists of a boggy hollow, originally an artificial, flat-bottomed pool about 25 metres (82 ft) in diameter, partly surrounded by an earthen bank, about 300 metres (985 ft) north-east of Haughey's Fort. It dates to the late Bronze Age, ca. 1000 BC, contemporary with Haughey's Fort. Excavations in 1975 discovered clay moulds for bronze leaf-shaped swords, pottery, and items of worked bone and wood. Also found were 214 animal bones and a human skull.

Name

The name is probably related to a local tradition that the ancient kings of Ulster watered their horses and washed their chariots in the pool. The same name has been given to Milecastle 48 on Hadrian's Wall; in this case the layout of the walls is reminiscent of stables.

See also

• List of archaeological sites in County Armagh

References

• Chris Lynn, Navan Fort: Archaeology and Myth, Wordwell Books, 2003
• R. B. Warner, "The Navan Archaeological Complex: a Summary", Ulidia, December Publications, 1994

Places of Interest in County Armagh
Castles and military sites	Charlemont Fort Creevekeeran Castle Fathom Castle Gosford Castle Moyry Castle Tandragee Castle
Churches and religious sites	Creggan Church Drumcree Church Killeavy Old Church Church of Ireland Cathedral Catholic Cathedral Primate’s Chapel, Armagh Seagoe Parish Church
Museums and cultural sites	Archbishop's Palace, Armagh Armagh County Museum Armagh Court House Armagh Gaol Armagh Public Library Armagh Observatory Armagh Planetarium Bessbrook Institute Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Library & Archive Dan Winter’s Cottage Franciscan Friary, Armagh Newry Town Hall (Part) Rokeby Obelisk Royal School, Armagh Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum Sloan’s Inn Museum
Natural landmarks and outdoor spaces	Gosford Forest Park Maghery Country Park The Mall, Armagh Peatlands Park Slieve Gullion Forest Park
Prehistoric landmarks	Slieve Gullion Passage Tomb Annaghmare Ballykeel Dolmen Ballymacdermott Clontygora Dorsey Haughey's Fort Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone King's Stables Navan Fort
Stately homes	Abbey House Adress House The Argory Ballymoyer House Brownlow House Castle Dillon Darton Dean’s Hill Derrymore House Drumbanagher House Eden House Fairview House Fellow’s Hall Forkhill House Hockley Lodge Killeavy Castle The Manor House, Loughgall Raughlan Richhill Castle Tynan Abbey Umgola
Transport and industry	The Barn Museum, Lurgan Craigmore Viaduct MacNeill's Egyptian Arch
See also	Newry Canal