Building record 2024/0/1 - Dovecote 80m N of Puddington Old Hall

Dovecote 80m north of Puddington Old Hall. Later 18th century for the Stanley- Massey family. English garden wall bond red brick. Pyramidal roof of small Welsh slates with stone ridges, carries raised central entrance, now weather- boarded. Square in plan. 2-storey, 1-bay west front. Stone band at 1st floor and simple brick cornice. Board door in each floor with segmental brick head. Interior has tiers of nest boxes with brick ledges throughout. The Romans appear to be the first to have used dovecotes to give a supply of fresh meat though there are no remains of such structures in Britain. Dovecotes and pigeon houses were introduced to Britain from France in the 11th century. They were normally circular buildings with pivoting ladders that allowed the removal of young birds and eggs. They represent an important source of fresh meat for the estates they were built on and the droppings were used as fertiliser. In the 16th and 17th centuries the droppings were as essential source of saltpetre used in the manufacture of gunpowder. In Medieval times, they were allowed only on the estates of lords or monastic land. Laws were passed in the 18th century, to enable others to build them.