Glenknock, County Tyrone 'The Druid's Altar' is a ruined but still impressive megalith, 1 1/2 miles north-north-east of Newtownstewart in Glenknock (or Cloghogle) townland. It occupies a slightly elevated site in pastureland to the east side of Gallon road, about 600 yards south-west of Gallon bridge. The massive capstone, originally 9 feet long, fell about twenty-five years ago and now lies broken in several large pieces among the chamber stones, which are themselves in disarray. An archaeological field sketch made earlier last century depicts a fine dolmen structure whose collapse is all the more regrettable since it may have been preventable, apparently having occurred at the time of a land reclamation scheme, though frost damage cannot be ruled out as a possible cause. The plan of the chamber is unclear, but the table-like capstone was raised aloft on just three uprights - a pair of portal stones oriented north-west, and a backstone - so one might class this as a tripod dolmen. A tall stone which stood at one side of the entrance may have been a remnant of a forecourt, indicating a cultural link between court and portal tombs. The surrounding cairn has largely been obliterated by ploughing. Other Ancient Stones in County Tyrone: Crosh | Dunnamore | Click here to buy the Appletree Press book from Amazon.co.uk. For more information click on: Ireland's Ancient Stones - A Megalithic Heritage by Kenneth McNally, published by Appletree Press.

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