Edinburgh, Craigiehall House, Dovecot
Dovecot (17th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, Craigiehall House, Dovecot
Classification Dovecot (17th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Goc Scotland; Craigiehall Estate; Craigiehall Policies
Canmore ID 50407
Site Number NT17NE 29.01
NGR NT 16589 75460
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/50407
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Dalmeny
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County West Lothian
NT17NE 29.01 16589 75460
The dovecot near the mansion of Craigiehall (NT17NE 29.00) is dated 167- on the W skew-put. It is now roofless and going to ruin. It is single-chambered; 617 stone nests remain. The entrance is in the centre of the S wall. A picture of this dovecot, sketched in 1913 by George Fothergill, shows it with a pyramidal roof and lantern in which there were 6 entrance holes to the N and S and 4 holes in each of the other two sides (c/f NT17SE 18). There are the remains of a circular light in the E wall; Fothergill's drawing shows a similar light in the W wall. The doves also entered by 4 or 5 holes, now blocked up, with stone landing ledges, in the S wall. The roof was slated.
A N Robertson 1945
NT 1659 7546. The remains of this dovecot, which is dated 1672, are as described.
Visited by OS (SFS) 20 August 1974
NT17NE 29.01 16589 75460
A stone built doocot is situated about 101m NW of Craigiehall House (NT17NE 29.00) and W of the tennis courts.
The structure originally had a 'pyramidical slated roof and lantern' as shown in a sketch in the Officers' Mess and is constructed in random rubble with a string course. Several circular entrance holes, now blocked, are still extant. A date of 1672 can be seen on the W 'skew-put'. The interior retains many of the nesting boxes (up to 500).
The doocot was probably built by John Fairholm, 2nd of Craigiehall sometime between 1655 and 1690 (Innes 1996).
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, CJS), 22 May 2007
