Dovecot, Dunbeath Castle is a Grade B listed building in the Highland local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 13 April 1971.

Dovecot, Dunbeath Castle

WRENN ID
spare-alcove-birch
Grade
B
Local Planning Authority
Highland
Constituency
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP: Jamie Stone (LD)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
13 April 1971
OS grid reference
ND 153 289
Coordinates
58.24144, -3.44434
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

This is a mid-18th century dovecot situated at Dunbeath Castle. It is a plain, south-facing structure built of rubble stone, in a "lectern" design. The dovecot features a central entrance and two square flightholes (access points for birds) above. There are alighting ledges for the birds. Simple, square rubble finials mark the ends of the rear, north wall, which includes a small square vent. The roof is made of Caithness flagstones. Further information can be found in Elizabeth Beaton’s The Doocots of Caithness (1980), pages 12-15.

Local climate

Dovecot, Dunbeath Castle receives an average of 950 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 73% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 64% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 19 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 81% of listed buildings. Of these, 13 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.2°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
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  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Gate Lodge, Dunbeath Castle Grade B 105 m
  2. Stable Court, Dunbeath Castle Grade B 626 m
  3. Pavilion, Northern Walled Garden, Dunbeath Castle Grade A 657 m
  4. Southern Walled Garden, Dunbeath Castle Grade A 688 m
  5. Northern Walled Garden, Dunbeath Castle Grade A 689 m
  6. Dunbeath Castle Grade A 879 m
  7. Dunbeath Bridge Grade B 1.1 km
  8. The Village Murray M Smythe Shop, Dunbeath Grade C 1.2 km
  9. House, The Village, Dunbeath Grade C 1.2 km
  10. House, The Village, Dunbeath Grade C 1.2 km