Dovecot, Cawder House

The Dovecot at Cawder House dates from 1753 and was extended and renovated, likely by David Hamilton, in the early 19th century. It is a circular-plan, three-stage dovecote built from random rubble and ashlar, featuring deep overhanging eaves and a shallow conical roof. The eastern entrance has a timber boarded door with a raised rubble architrave, a dated lintel, and a central tripartite keystone carving. There is a sloped, tooled ashlar rat-course from the 19th century at the first stage. Above the doorway, the middle stage has a rectangular louvered opening that was remodeled in the 19th century, along with four flight holes and an alighting ledge at the base, framed by raised ashlar margins. The third stage, added in the later 19th century, is made of ashlar and features six square blind openings above a moulded cill course, with three east-facing openings that include flight holes and a corniced, bracketed alighting ledge below. The structure has been heavily re-pointed with cement mortar in the 20th century. Access to the interior was not obtained in 2004.