Corsindae, Dovecot

Doocot, rubble-built, late 17th century, square plan with rat-course, neat skewputs and double-pitched roof.

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

NJ60NE 4.08 68606 08734

This dovecot is situated in woodland immediately NW of Corsindae Home Farm (NJ60NE 4.04) and about 90m SE of the tower-house NJ60NE 4.00. Although it is depicted on both the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire 1869, sheet LXXII; 1901, sheet LXXII.NE), the dovecot is not shown on the modern 1:10,000 map (1972). Rectangular on plan, it measures 7.2m from NE to SW by 5.3m transversely overall and the entrance is in the centre of the SE side. The walls are constructed of mortared random rubble, with roughly dressed quoins, lintel and sill surrounding the door, and a single rat-ledge. The gables are crow-stepped with cavetto-moulded skewputts, and each has a large flight-hole with a chamfered lintel and jambs. The pitched roof was originally pantiled but is now covered with corrugated iron sheeting. In the interior there are at least 911 nesting boxes constructed of horizontal shelves of fine-grained metamorphic slabs with upright granite partitions. There are 235 boxes on each gable, 228 on the NW wall, and 213 on the SE wall.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 7 November 1997.