Dovecot To Manor Farm, With Terrace Walling

The dovecote at Manor Farm, located on Church Street in Widcombe, dates from the early to mid 18th century. It is constructed of limestone ashlar with a stone slate roof and features a three-stage octagonal design topped with a cupola. The lowest level has a plank door set flush in an arched opening, facing the main building of Manor Farm, and is adorned with a moulded string course. The first stage contains eleven rows of pigeon holes on three sides, with early twelve-pane sash windows on two sides facing west, all beneath a further moulded cornice string. The top stage features small blind oculi in raised surrounds, along with a small arched plank door on the east side. The slate roof overhangs a cavetto cornice and supports an eight-arched glover with a dome and a fine gilded weathercock, which is reputed to date from 1597.

The interior has not been inspected, but a former listing mentions internal timber framing. On the west side, a rubble terrace wall with coping extends from the lowest level, returning in a quadrant at the left end to a gateway at the front of the farm. This includes a central pair of gates leading to stone steps and is topped with three large stone acorn finials on the coping. This dovecote is an unusually fine example of its type, in excellent condition, and serves as a valuable addition to the group of buildings.