Sheriffhall Dovecot

Sheriffhall Dovecot is an early 17th-century, four-stage square dovecot that was created from the stair tower of a former mansion. It is constructed from red sandstone and basalt, featuring string courses and crenellated angles.

The northwest elevation, which is the principal side, has an arched doorway at the first stage, behind a string course. This doorway is a boarded timber door with metal hinges. To the right, there is an in-filled arched window spanning the second and third stages, and a blind central window at the fourth stage. The eaves string course leads to crenellated corners topped with flat stone copes.

On the northeast elevation, there are four blind stages, separated by string courses, with random in-fills. This elevation also features an eaves string course that leads to crenellated corners with flat stone copes.

The southeast elevation mirrors the northeast with four blind stages separated by string courses. It has a projecting triangular opening at the lower fourth stage, which is now in-filled with brick. The eaves string course again leads to crenellated corners with flat stone copes.

The southwest elevation also consists of four blind stages separated by string courses and includes a rectangular arrowslit opening at the third stage. It features an eaves string course leading to crenellated corners with flat stone copes.

The original windows have been filled with rubble. The dovecot is topped with a pyramidal slated roof, which has a lantern entrance and a ball finial at the top.

Inside, the dovecot is circular and contains 850 wooden nesting boxes arranged in an octagonal pattern.