Building record 908/1/2 - Dovecote, Manley Old Hall

Grade II listed dovecote near the site of Manley Old Hall. It was formerly gatehouse or porch to the original Manley Hall then converted to dovecote in 1660. It is square in plan and built in brick and buff Manley sandstone, No roof survives. The foundations have a projecting course that may have carried a wooden bridge over the moat. Inside there are five tiers of nest boxes surviving at the upper levels. 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. In Medieval times, they were allowed only on the estates of lords or monastic land. In the 18th century, laws were passed to enable others to build them.