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Edinburgh, Colinton Road, Colinton Castle, Dovecot
Dovecot (17th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, Colinton Road, Colinton Castle, Dovecot
Classification Dovecot (17th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Merchiston Castle School
Canmore ID 51759
Site Number NT26NW 17
NGR NT 21724 69086
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51759
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT26NW 17 21724 69086
A roofless ruin, with good-sized trees growing out of its crumbling walls, represents the dovecot of the old castle of the Foulis family. It stands among the woods above the Water of Leith, in the grounds of Merchiston Castle school. It is single-chambered, with 695 nests; the entrance is in the E wall. One sandstone string-course extends on all four walls. Each gable has crowsteps (18), 9 on each side of the roof. The dovecot measures 23'5 1/2" x 18'8 1/2" with walls 3' 5 1/2" thick. The roof has been of stone slabs and the pigeons probably entered by a dormer window. It was probably built in the 16th c. when the castle was built.
A N Robertson 1945
NT 2172 6909. A roofless dovecot as described.
Visited by OS (BS) 4 December 1975
