Dovecote, Craigston Castle

This is a probably 17th-century dovecote located within the grounds of Craigston Castle. The dovecote is tall and square, with a gabled roof. It is constructed of harled rubble with dressings of tooled and carved red sandstone ashlar. A low doorway is centrally positioned on the east elevation, and a later square vent has been added to the west wall. Two sets of flight holes are pierced in red sandstone panels, each fronted by an alighting ledge, within the south gable. A string course, moulded on its underside, runs around the building at approximately two-thirds of its height. Two further string courses run along the north and south gables; the lower one has a simple cavetto underside, and the upper one has a moulded and filleted profile. A small, circular, cable-moulded vent is centrally located on the north gable, and is now blocked. The roof is finished with crowsteps and carved apex finials.

The interior is lined with 512 square nesting boxes constructed from tooled rubble, and these begin 1.17 metres (3 feet 10 inches) above the floor level.

While no documentary evidence confirms the dovecote’s existence before 1747, when it was depicted on an estate plan, the carved detailing appears characteristic of the 17th century, suggesting it may be contemporary with Craigston Castle, which was built between 1604 and 1607.