Listed Building record MDO9122 - Dovecote, Athelhampton Hall

A free-standing dovecote built in the early 16th century. The building has brick walls and a conical clay-tiled roof topped by an octagonal wooden lantern. The roof timbers were replaced in the 20th century.

Dovecote 15 metres north-west of Athelhampton Hall. Free standing circular dovecote built in the early 16th century. Built of roughly coursed rubble stone with occasional repairs in brick and a coved stone eaves-cornice. Four ashlar butresses of two-stages are set symmetrically around the circumference. The building has a clay tiled conical roof with an octagonal cedar-wood lantern, the roof timber were replaced in the 20th century.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 13 (Monograph). SDO146.

‘(2) ATHELHAMPTON HALL … A circular Pigeon-cote about 50 ft. N.W. of the house is of the early 16th century. It is of roughly coursed rubble with occasional repairs in brick and has a coved stone eaves cornice; four ashlar buttresses of two stages are set symmetrically around the circumference. The cote is entered from the E. through a low ashlar doorway with a chamfered four-centred head. The internal wall-face has about 600 pigeon-holes accessible by a wooden ladder on a cantilevered frame which pivots on a central post. The conical timber roof is tiled, with a stone-slate verge. The timber turret at the apex is modern.’

<2> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF029887 (Index). SDO14738.

Athelhampton Hall, Athelhampton

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1142634 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 27 2023 11:32AM