Auchernach House, Dovecot

Garden, c.1809, where the wall is alleged to have been modelled on an Indian fort. The centres of east and west walls bear circular crenellated towers, while there is a tall, slim square granite ashlar-fronted tower with crenellated parapet and, formerly, a weathervane in the centre of the north wall. Circular rubble doocot with conical roof and weathercock

flanked by single-storey pyramid-roofed symmetrical wings. Converted to silo.

Charles Forbes of Auchernach (d.1794) was master of the barracks at Corgarff Castle; his son rose to a Lieutenant-Generalship in India, hence the garden (and perhaps the house itself).

Taken from "Aberdeenshire: Donside and Strathbogie - An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Ian Shepherd, 2006. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

NJ31NW 3.06 33125 16105

Circular rubble doocot (now converted to silo) with conical roof and weathercock flanked by single-storey pyramid-roofed symmetrical wings.

Photographed by RCAHMS 4 October 2000 when conducting survey of neighbouring buildings. During October 2000, RCAHMS conducted a photographic survey of the dovecot at Auchernach. The purpose of this survey was to enhance and augment the existing holdings of the National Monuments Record Scotland.

Visited by RCAHMS (MKO), October 2000.

NJ31NW 3.06 33125 16105

Circular rubble-built tower with conical roof and weather

cock, single-storey pyramid roofed symmetrical wings.

1809 or shortly thereafter. Converted to silo. Ruinous.

Unusual circular dovecot with finialled conical roof and low, symmetrical, rectangular-plan, pavilion-roofed wings, sited to NE of Auchernach walled garden; converted to silo, now ruinous. Snecked rubble with contrasting squared rubble long and short margins and quoins. Ashlar band course and slate alighting ledge, early grey slates. Entrance to S with later concrete shaft projecting over doorway. Henhouse pavilion wing to W (roof largely intact) with centre door and small hen entrance close to ground at right; interior with nesting recesses. Wing to E ruinous.

Auchernach dovecot is a good example of an early style, and an important element in the compact policies which would have incorporated house, walled garden, cottage, mill steading and lodges. Lieut General Nathaniel Forbes replaced the old house, retaining some of the earlier fabric, and built the outstanding walled garden in 1809. However, it is quite possible stylistically for the dovecote to pre-date these additions. Although abandoned for many years, the dovecot is remarkably intact and the silo conversion is reversible. (Historic Scotland)