Naunton Dovecote

Naunton Dovecote

Standing in a field beside the slow-moving River Windrush in the pretty Cotswolds village of Naunton stands a picturesque stone dovecote. The Naunton Dovecote is said to have been built in the 16th century, but the style of architecture suggests a 17th-century date. It is remarkably unaltered and an outstanding example of a post-medieval dovecote.

History

Dendrochronology tests carried out on the dovecote's timber frame have been inconclusive, so we are left to wonder just how old the dovecote is. We do know that it was built by the owners of the nearby manor house to provide year-round food.

There can be no doubt, however, what an impressive building it is, with space for 1,175 nesting doves inside.

The dovecote interior

Architecture

The dovecote is designed in a typical four-gable style, with a louvred wooden lantern at the top. The louvres allowed pigeons to enter and exit but kept away hawks and other birds of prey. The lantern we see today is a modern replacement.

The dovecote is built of limestone rubble with dressed stone quoins under a Cotswold stone roof. A dripmould runs around most of the building to carry rainwater away from the walls and the entire structure is raised on a stone plinth. There is a small perching ledge below each gable.

In the south wall is a Tudor doorway, recognisable for its flattened arch design. The doorway is hidden from exterior view by a 20th-century lean-to attached to the south facade. The interior is supported on timber collar trusses, now aided by two steel beams to help carry the weight of the stone-tiled roof.

The dovecote lantern

The bottom tier of nesting boxes has been blocked. This probably happened in the period 1740-1760 and was an effort to prevent brown rats from reaching active nests. There are just over 900 nest boxes now open. Donors can sponsor one or more nest boxes to help maintain and restore the building.

The floor is of concrete, probably installed when the dovecote was used to house chickens during WWII.

You can see a hatch, covered with a wooden shutter, on the dovecote's north face. This was inserted after the dovecote was converted into a mill and made it easier to carry grain and milled flour into and out of the building.

The dovecote is built on a square plan and measures 24 feet on each side. The ridge level is 30 feet above the ground and the walls are a massive 3 feet thick.

The nesting boxes

An Unusual Site

Most dovecotes are located on higher ground so that the pigeons can keep a watch for birds of prey. The Naunton Dovecote is unusual in that it stands in a river valley.

Dovecotes fell out of use from the late 18th century and most were destroyed. The Naunton Dovecote survives, in part because it was converted into a mill for grinding grain to make animal feed. A leat, or water channel, was dug from the river to the west side of the mill where a water wheel was installed.

The Tudor-style doorway

By the middle of the 20th century, the volume of water flowing down the River Windrush had decreased to the point where the mill was no longer viable and the water wheel and grinding mechanism were removed.

Standing beside the sluice gate is a ruined turbine house, installed in 1925 to provide electricity for the manor house.

The dovecote narrowly escaped conversion into a bed and breakfast complex in 1997 but there was strong opposition from local residents and the plan was scuppered. In 2000 the dovecote, the ruined turbine house, the sluice, and a nearby stable and shed were all purchased by a local charity that is now the Naunton Dovecote Trust.

The dovecote and lean-to

Who Built it?

We are on shaky ground when it comes to the dovecote's origins. If, as seems likely the dovecote was erected in the first half of the 17th century, it may have been built by John Collett, who bought the manor house in 1642.

Visiting

The Naunton Dovecote is a listed Grade II* by Historic England for its heritage value. The dovecote is open during daylight hours and entry is free.

The dovecote is located in a field on the south side of the village, on the Wardens Way long-distance footpath. It is easily reached from the main road through the village. Look for the brown tourist sign saying 'Historic Dovecote' or simply follow the signposted Wardens Way as it runs down towards the river. You will see the dovecote immediately off the footpath.

Please note that there is no parking at the dovecote. It can be a challenge to find parking in Naunton at times, but we've always managed it in the end!