Facts about Dovecotes
If you want to go deeper into dovecote history, visit other beautiful dovecotes, or would like to know more about historic Naunton village and the Cotswolds, then there are many sources of information below.
What is a Dovecote?
Dovecotes were mainly prestige structures associated with large buildings (manors, abbeys etc.) and placed in prominent places where they could be seen and admired by visitors. Hence it is always good to keep an eye out for a dovecote when visiting any significant rural estate. They can be a wide variety of shapes, sizes and materials – square, hexagonal or round – stone, brick or timber framed. Many have been repurposed, often for human habitation and are are not open to the general public.
A short background to the history of dovecotes produced by the University of Oxford and the National Trust, is available on the National Trust site.
The ‘Truth about Dovecotes‘ has a more comprehensive, but highly readable and well researched, introduction to dovecotes and their use. It was written by John McCann, an Inspector of Historic Buildings for English Heritage.
Dovecotes in Gloucestershire
The book Doves and Dovecotes published in 1988 (see book details below) has photographs of several Gloucestershire dovecotes, including Naunton. Among other dovecotes mentioned are:
- Barrington Park
- Little Badminton
- Dowdeswell Manor
- Shipton Moyne
- Lower Slaughter Manor
- Fiddington Manor
- Abbotswood, Lower Swell
When Arthur O Cooke published his A Book of Dovecotes in 1920 (see book details below), he had collected contemporary descriptions, sketches and photos from correspondents all over the country. He states that there are ‘many fine dovecotes scattered through the length and breadth of Gloucestershire’ and described 3 in more detail:
- Naunton
- Bibury
- Manor Farm at Daglingworth
The National Trust has at least 2 Gloucestershire properties with dovecotes:
Both are well worth a visit and offer a broad range of historical and social interest as well as the dovecote.
There are 3 National Trust dovecotes in neighbouring counties (Warwickshire and Worcestershire) that have outstanding dovecotes:
Another source of dovecote locations/images is Geograph – which aims to collect photographs and information for every square kilometre of UK and Ireland. It has a (growing) list for Dovecotes, and shows over 20 just for Gloucestershire. The full list covers all of England, with separate lists for Scotland and Wales.
Dovecote Books
The Dovecotes of Suffolk - John McCann - Published 1998
John McCann, an Inspector of Historic Buildings for English Heritage and a professional architectural photographer advised the Naunton Dovecote Trust on the sympathetic restoration of the dovecote in the late 1990’s. He wrote several books and learned articles on dovecotes. This book gives an easily readable and thoroughly researched 4 chapters describing – ‘How dovecotes were used’, ‘Who could own a dovecote’, ‘How dovecotes were designed’ and ‘The decline of dovecotes’. The remainder of the book is a detailed survey of the dovecotes of Suffolk. He also wrote a similar book covering Somerset dovecotes.
A short and accurate introduction to dovecotes and their use can be found in the ‘The Truth about dovecotes‘ page on John McCann’s web site.
Doves and Dovecotes - Peter & Jean Hansell - Published 1988
This book provides an outstanding collection of old and recent photographs of dovecotes, along with reproductions of old engravings and plans showing dovecote history. It identifies several hundred dovecote sites and has a useful list of accessible dovecotes sites (in 1988) and an extensive bibliography. Many of the modern photographs were taken by the Hansells to excellent standards, given Peter Hansell was a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. The 248 page book is only available currently secondhand.
A Book of Dovecotes - Arthur Owens Cooke (1867-1930) - Published 1920
This book reviews the use and state of care and repair of dovecotes across the country a hundred years ago. Concerned by the decline in dovecote numbers, Cooke collected contemporary descriptions, sketches and photos of dovecotes from correspondents all over the country, but only had direct knowledge of a few himself.
Several of the speculations Cooke makes in his book about the historical development, use and social significance of dovecotes have been shown to be incorrect by more extensive recent research. For a discussion of these inaccuracies, go to the “Truth about dovecotes” web page produced by James McCann.
Cooke’s book is now out of copyright and so can be purchased as a used copy or via a print on demand publisher at a relatively low cost. If an electronic version is sufficient, a Book of Dovecotes PDF is available here.
A short excerpt from A Book of Dovecotes –
Our British dovecotes, too, are growing fewer every year. Many have vanished altogether, some by wanton demolition, others by neglect. The time has surely come at which to chronicle a few of those that still remain; to draw attention to their frequent beauty; call to mind the interest which attaches to them; plead for their more careful preservation, and – not altogether needlessly – make clear the reason why they came to occupy their places in our land.
This is how Cooke described Naunton dovecote –
At Naunton the dovecote standing in Pigeon House Close at the Manor House is a large square building of good Cotswold stone. The length of each wall is twenty-four feet, their height to the eaves eighteen. The slated roof is four-gabled, each gable containing a Tudor window two feet six inches square, having a middle mullion of stone. Rising from the centre of the roof is a square two-gabled cupola mounted on four oak supports. There is a string-course about half-way up the walls, and the whole building is of imposing appearance.
The walls are nearly three feet thick, but the doorway is unusually large – seven feet in height by three feet six in width. Inside are over one thousand L-shaped nest-holes, alighting-ledges being attached to five out of the thirty tiers.
Societies and Resources
Ancient Monuments Society
The Ancient Monuments Society (AMS) was founded in 1924 to promote “the study and conservation of ancient monuments, historic buildings and fine old craftsmanship.”
AMS has been a supporter of work done to preserve the Naunton dovecote in the past and remains an important support for many kinds of historic buildings in the UK.
Historic England
Historic England amongst other things maintain the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). NHLE is the only official, up to date, register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England – listed buildings, scheduled monuments, protected wrecks, registered parks and gardens, and battlefields. It contains more than 400,000 entries currently. A simple search for dovecote returns 274 items – Naunton dovecote being one of them.
They invite you to share your knowledge and pictures of listed places, so they can record important facts, and even unlock the secrets of some places.
The Museum of English Rural Life
The Museum of English Rural Life is owned and managed by the University of Reading.
They use their diverse and surprising collection to explore how the skills and experiences of farmers and craftspeople, past and present, can help shape our lives now and into the future. They work alongside rural people, local communities and specialist researchers to create displays and activities that engage with important debates about the future of food and the ongoing relevance of the countryside to all our lives.
They have an extensive database which returns 87 items when searching for ‘dovecote’. These contain a wide variety of books and all the archives of the British Dovecote Society (1887 – 2003). Most items can only be consulted by visiting the museum in Reading, but many are on ‘open shelf’ access.
Naunton Village
Naunton is a village of about 350 souls in the heart of the Cotswolds. It has a long history, and was included in the Norman Domesday Survey in 1086-89 – at that point known as Niwetone.
It is an attractive Cotswold stone village built around the upper reaches of the river Windrush. Apart from the Naunton Dovecote, it has a lovely 15th century church (St Andrews), a recently refurbished Village Hall for events and if you have the need of refreshment, a village pub (the Black Horse) whose brewery is about 5 miles away. In the fields around the village you are likely to see more race horses than Cotswold sheep or English Long Horn cattle – though you can see these as well. Naunton is on several longer walking trails, as well as local circular walking routes. Please look at the Naunton map for more details.
Naunton village links
Village Hall – for arranging local meetings, entertainments and receptions – https://www.nauntonvillagehall.org.uk
Naunton Parish Council – http://www.nauntonpc.org/
Black Horse Public House –https://www.donnington-brewery.com/the_black_horse_naunton.htm
Naunton village history links
This site, produced by David Hanks, has several hundred historical photographs of Naunton, the residents and local events – Naunton upon Cotswold Facebook site
David Hanks has also produced a very comprehensive 392 page book called Naunton 2000 – to celebrate Naunton’s Millennium and to detail the life of the village from earliest times to 2000. It was published by Alden Press in 2004 (ISBN: 0-9546850-0-8) but is only currently available secondhand.
The Upper Windrush Local History Society web site has interesting and useful information about Naunton and other local villages in the Windrush river valley, from Saxon times through to the present day.
