Carrickfergus dragon emblem stone mystery could be a step closer to being solved

Jana Matheson, from Whitehead, was keen to learn more about the stone slab featuring the mythical beast as part of council’s NI 100 Community Research Project.

Jane was researching her great-grandfather Leonard John Matheson’s service record when she discovered that he was linked to the slab which once lay across from the old Lodge Building at Prospect House.

Leonard was stationed at Prospect House (known then as Prospect Camp) with the Royal Berkshire Regiment during the Second World War and it was there he created the regiment’s emblem on a stone slab.

Jane came across an old Carrick Times clipping about the dragon which further sparked her interest.

She subsequently discovered that the 5ft slab seemed to have disappeared around the time of the development of Prospect Loanen in the mid-1990s.

An appeal was issued to help shed further light on the matter - and it is possible the answer lies close to home for the council.

The developer of the site contacted this newspaper to say: “I can tell you exactly what happened to the stone. It’s wasn’t carved but made of cement/concrete. I was the developer of Prospect Loanen, I was there when it was found and you’re right, it was just across the driveway opposite the original gate lodge. I gave it to Carrickfergus Council at the time.”

He also messaged the local authority via social media with similar information.

In an update, Shirin Murphy, council’s museums officer, said she will follow up this development to the story.

Click here to read: Whitehead woman seeks help to solve the mystery of Carrick’s carved dragon stone

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