Pittrichie, Dovecot

Doocot, c.1818-25, unusual square-plan in dark pinned granite, rising two storeys to a pyramidal roof. Striking arches with red voussoirs.

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

NJ82NE 38.01 85646 25623

An early 19th-century dovecot, 4.0m square overall, in good condition though some of the brick-buily nesting boxes have collapsed.

Visited by OS (RL) 5 April 1972.

This dovecot is situated in a cultivated field 150m ESE of the abandoned steading of Home Farm (NJ82NE 38.02). It measures 4m square overall, and its walls, which are 0.5m thick, are constructed of random rubble with roughly dressed quoins. The entrance, which measures 0.76m in width and about 2.25m in height, is on the S side and has a pointed arch in a light red granite. This forms a striking contrast with the darker blue/grey granite used elsewhere in the building, and is repeated in a second opening above the doorway. There is now no door in the entrance, but two metal hinges are present on the E side. A rat-ledge some 0.3m above the entrance is only present on the S side of the dovecot, and forms the sill for the second opening with its pointed arch. This is the same width as the entrance but is only about 1.4m high. The slated pyramidal roof is modern. In the interior the nesting boxes are built with slate shelves and brick risers, but many of them have been removed leaving only 38 intact on the N side, 35 on the W, 31 on the E, and 26 on the S.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS) 13 August 2002.

Gothick. Plain square 2-storey dark pinned granite, red voussoirs at arches. (Historic Scotland)