Description

A single chamber, rectangular-plan lectern doocot (dovecot, or pigeon-house), dated 1672, which is currently roofless and with some loss of material at wallhead (2016). The building is of rubble sandstone and has a rat course running round all elevations. The south elevation has a central boarded door, a central flight ledge above the rat course and bracket skewputts. The west elevation has a central blocked oculus above the rat course.

The interior was seen in 2016. There are around 600 nesting boxes, extending from floor to ceiling on all sides of the chamber.

Statement of Interest

The 17th century doocot at Craigiehall is a rare surviving and early example of its building type and retains many of the characteristics of the classic lectern doocot type and still includes a number of nesting boxes. Surviving and intact examples doocots dating before the 18th century are rare. The building still forms an integral part of the 17th and 18th century designed landscape and is one of the earliest remaining components of the Craigiehall estate as it predates the current house.

Age and Rarity

The Craigiehall doocot, dated 1672 on its west skewputt, is one of a number of buildings which form Craigiehall estate. It predates the current Craigiehall House erected by William Bruce in 1695-7 (LB45432). It has been suggested that the doocot was most likely built by John Fairholm, who owned the estate between 1655 and 1690 (Innes, 1994). It is one of only two structures at Craigiehall which predate the current house, the other being the 17th century obelisk sundial to the east of the house (LB5559).

The doocot is shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, published in 1856.

The current Craigiehall estate dates mainly to the construction of Craigiehall House, completed in 1699, by Sir William Bruce for Sophia, Countess of Annandale and her husband, William, Earl of Annandale. There had been an earlier tower house on the estate which was replaced with the current house.

The Earl of Annandale's son James took over the estate in 1715. In 1741, the estate was bought by the Hope-Weir family, who were connected to the estate through the marriage of the Earl of Annandale's daughter, Lady Henrietta Johnstone to Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun. The Hon Charles Hope (later Hope-Weir) had completed a Grand Tour of France and Italy with Robert Adam. On his return in 1754-5, he had ideas for some improvement at Craigiehall, particularly in the grounds, gathered from this Grand Tour. He planted trees along the River Almond and constructed Craigiehall Temple (1759, LB26928), Craigiehall Bridge (1757, (LB5563), the Grotto and Bathhouse (circa 1755-60, LB5562) and an ornamental lake, around 1760.

In 1916, Craigiehall was sold to neighbouring landowner and former prime minister, the 5th Earl of Rosebery. Rosebery had purchased the estate for his son, the Rt. Hon Neil James Archibald Primrose. Following his son's death in action just one year later, he leased out the house and policies. Craigiehall was rented first by textile merchant, James Morton in the 1920s, and then by Ernest Thomson of Edinburgh from 1933, who opened the house as the Riverside Hotel and Country Club. The house was requisitioned by the Army in 1939 and bought by them in 1951.

A sketch of 1913 by George Fothergill shows the Craigiehall doocot having a pyramidal roof with flight holes for the birds at its centre. It is not clear if this pyramidal roof was original or if the doocot previously had the more usual, sloping monopitch roof. Sloping roofs were generally facing south and this would be consistent with the south orientation of the structure. Robertson (1945) notes that the skewputts on the south elevation suggest crow-stepped gables, which would again imply that the doocot originally had a monopitch roof.

The earliest surviving doocots or pigeon-houses in Scotland date from the 16th century. Doocots provided shelter, protection from vermin and nesting facilities for pigeons. These distinctive structures, found principally on monastic establishments and estates with large households, provided a welcome and easily caught source of meat, particularly in the winter months, while the accumulated manure was a rich fertiliser for the land. They are most common in arable areas which could provide sufficient food for the pigeons and are therefore more prevalent in the east of Scotland.

Early doocots usually had a circular or beehive shape. This design was later superseded by the lectern form as seen here, so named on account of its characteristic sloping monopitch roof. This shape was first introduced in the late 16th century and became the dominant form of doocot in the 17th and 18th centuries. The shape allowed more nesting chambers to be accommodated and the lean-to roof faced south so that the birds could sit in the sun, whilst being protected from the north wind by the high back wall. The design is very uncommon outside of Scotland. The rat course prevented rats and other predators from accessing the flight holes and also served as a preening ledge for the birds.

Notable 17th century lectern doocots that survive in Scotland include those at the Hermitage, Edinburgh (LB27413) and Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, (LB28140). The majority of surviving examples, however, date to the 18th century.

Doocots largely ceased to be built after the mid-19th century when the need for them diminished, although a few decorative examples were constructed in the Edwardian period.

The listing criteria state that the older a building is and the fewer of its type survive, the more likely it is to present special interest. All buildings erected before 1840 which are of notable quality and survive predominantly in their original form have a strong case for listing. Doocots are an important building type as they tell us much about our agricultural and domestic history and they are often prominent landscape features. Craigiehall doocot is an early, surviving example of its building type which has retained a number of features characteristic of its 17th century date.

Architectural or Historic Interest

Interior

The retention of the majority of the internal nesting boxes is of interest, as these often do not survive. Robertson (1945) describes a stone flue around the floor of the doocot, and perhaps the doocot was used as a forcing house for plants in the past. This stone flue was not seen at the time of the visit in 2016.

Plan form

The rectangular-plan form of a lectern type doocot was the most common plan-form in the 17th and 18th centuries and is typical of Scottish doocots of this date.

Technological excellence or innovation, material or design quality

Rubble sandstone was a typical material used for doocots as they most usually used local stone. The loss of the roof and part of the stonework to wallhead of the Craigiehall doocot has affected its appearance and we cannot be certain of its original form. It retains a number of typical features including the rat courses and flight ledge.

Setting

The doocot stands on an open grassy area to the northwest of Craigiehall House. It is visible from the house and is part of a group of associated estate structures which, although affected by later development, still visually conforms to innovative late 17th and 18th century ideals in landscape design. The building is one of a number of estate buildings associated with the house including the walled garden, the former stable court, two sundials, and a grotto and is an important part of this wider estate.

Regional variations

Doocots are typically found in estate landscapes and predominate in the east of Scotland because of their association with arable farming.

Close Historical Associations

The 2nd Earl of Annandale, and later the Hope-Weir family are closely associated with Craigiehall.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2016. Previously listed as 'Craigiehall, Dovecot'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17797998

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

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