article about doocots

[tuxedobaby]

Doocots continued to be built well into the 18th century and later examples have a variety of forms; cylindrical, pentagonal, hexagonal and octagonal, in all sorts of styles ranging from baronial to classical. From the mid-18th century, they were frequently constructed as ornamental features of the policies of country houses, representing a form of architectural expression and acting as eyecatchers within a designed landscape. Many of these are two-storey sometimes with other uses incorporated on the ground floor and the pigeon quarters on the upper floor. The doocot at Huntington House forms the upper floor of a small summerhouse, and, with its pilasters and pediment crowned with vases, it is perhaps one of the most elaborate.

Practically all Scottish doocots are constructed of local stone and the number of internal nesting boxes ranges from around 500 in the smaller doocots, up to well over 2000 in the largest. Access for the pigeons is normally by louvered vents in the beehive doocots and small arched openings in the lectern type. Nesting boxes were reached, for the collection of eggs and birds, by a revolving ladder called a potence. Doocots are normally provided with projecting string-courses around the outside to prevent rats getting into the structure and destroying the eggs.

The need for doocots gradually died out at the start of the 19th century as their function in providing an extra source of fresh food in wintertime became obsolete with the introduction of new farming methods that allowed for the feeding of cattle in the winter. The pigeon's habit of indiscriminate feeding was also seen as a source of social injustice (one of the minor causes of the French Revolution is said to have been the destruction of peasants' crops by pigeons owned by the French aristocracy). It is recorded that there were no fewer than 360 doocots in Fife during the 18th century, and it is little wonder that farmers began to complain. Doocots dating from the 19th century are normally associated with larger planned farm steadings where they were often included as ornamental features above the arched entrances to the farm courtyards.

It is unfortunate that so many doocots have disappeared over the years. However, they are also great survivors. It is frequently found that the doocot is the only remaining residual reminder of a great estate the rest of which has long before been wiped out by change. This is possibly due to fact that they were often converted to other uses during the 19th century. Another possible reason for their survival may be associated with the old superstition that the demolition of a doocot would result in a death within the year in the family of the person responsible for its removal.


just found this interesting article about dovecotes ,there are a lot of fine examples here in scotland

[wolfwood]

Again....you carry me back across the ocean!!! Thanks for the article. I can even hear the Scotsman pronouncing "dovecote" so that it becomes 'doocot'

[Skyeking]

http://www.pigeoncote.com/dovecote/dovecote.html


http://gillonj.tripod.com/ScottishDoocots/

[spirit wings]

very nice indeed, I love scotland and GB, and everything about dovecotes or doocotes, In my next life I want one on a farm with green pastures and live in a stone house with a thatch roof near a small village, that is heaven to me....oh I forgot the sheep....gotta have sheep....

[LUCKYT]

Spirit wings, shall we start calling you "Hiedi" Lol! That sounds like a nice place to be. Dave

[maryjane]

Thank you, that's an interesting article.

[tuxedobaby]

we have several in area,one on new housing complex,complete with artificial lake(made from remnants of old aluminium works,looks nice)theres a nice one in aberdour village,its a cylindrical one,very pretty

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by LUCKYT

Spirit wings, shall we start calling you "Hiedi" Lol! That sounds like a nice place to be. Dave

SURE........