Description

Probably 18th century. Rectangular-plan, 2-chambered lectern-type dovecot set to NW of Whitehall House. Walls approximately 3ft thick; each chamber approximately 13ft1' square. Harl-pointed sandstone rubble; tooled rubble dressings; red sandstone lintels. Projecting rat course/alighting ledge; rubble quoins; rubble long and short surrounds to doorways.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 2 square-headed doorways flanking centre; iron hinges; gates/doors missing. Continuous rat course/alighting ledge above. 2-tiered rows of flight holes in roof pitch centred above each chamber with 15 (lower) and 9 (upper) openings to E; 16 (lower), 10 (upper) to W.

W, N AND E ELEVATIONS: continuous rat course/alighting ledge dividing blank elevation.

Grey slate mono-pitched roof (missing in part); stone-coped skews; beak skewputts with carved human faces. Iron rainwater goods and bracketed water trays.

INTERIOR: each chamber lined with sandstone nesting boxes (876 to E, 870 to W). Timber poles in place in part to W; missing to E.

Statement of Interest

Poor condition 1998. Traditional lectern-type dovecot with the interior divided in 2, each chamber independent from the other, thereby reducing disturbance and increasing security. A more sophisticated type of construction than the earlier beehive design (see separate list entry for the nearby Ninewells Dovecot), the lectern allowed more opportunity for decoration -the figurative skewputts being particularly notable here. See separate list entry for the nearby Whitehall House (no longer associated with the dovecot).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17847458

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version