Larger Dovecote At Tq 822 529 In Grounds Of Former Leeds Priory

The larger dovecote, located in the grounds of the former Leeds Priory, dates from the mid to late 16th century and was altered in the late 18th century. It is constructed of red and vitreous brick in English bond with decorative diaper work, and features ashlar stone quoins at the north-west corner. The dovecote is rectangular, measuring approximately 20 feet wide and 45 feet long externally, and stands about 10 feet tall with walls that are approximately 3 feet 6 inches thick.

It has one and a half storeys, with a very low undercroft on the east side where the land slopes away. The structure has a galletted stone plinth with chamfered stone coping and three large integral plinthed red-brick buttresses on the east side. The north gable lacks diaper work but retains the remains of a crow-stepped gable with a moulded brick kneeler. Although the roof is missing, a photograph in the National Monuments Record shows that it originally had an arch-braced clasped-purlin roof with wind braces.

The east wall features regular fenestration with two double-chamfered rectangular brick windows on the ground floor, which are still partly rendered to resemble stone. Beneath each window is a plinth interrupted by a small round-arched opening with brick voussoirs that provides access to the undercroft. The north gable has a double-chamfered two-light rendered rectangular brick mullion window with a plain-chamfered mullion, and a broad three-centred arched doorway beneath it, which has a chamfered ashlar stone head but missing jambs.

Inside, there are at least two broadly chamfered cross-beams below the wall-plate, with further cross-beams in the undercroft, although the joists are missing. The walls are partly plastered and contain brick nesting boxes throughout on both floors, with ledges in front that have broken away. The dovecote is situated roughly one yard north of, and aligned with, a smaller dovecote and is scheduled as an Ancient Monument.