Dolphingstone Doocot, Dolphingstone

3-stage beehive dovecot. Sandstone rubble. Pair of thumbnail-bead rat courses dividing stages; evenly arranged water-spouts at cornice level. Doorway at SE. Pair of square openings, randomly arranged, to middle stage, at SE.

The first dovecots built in Scotland were the beehive dovecots that appeared in the 16th century, typically circular-plan conical structures with pigeon access to the central chamber by means of an oculus opening at the building's apex. The Dolphingstone Dovecot, originally in the policies of the late 17th century, now ruined, Cowthrople House, has the remains of a glover (cupola) evident on its roof, and like the dovecot at Preston Tower has evidence of shells being used in the structure's mortar.(Historic Scotland)

June 2008: External inspection finds the doocot to remain in a fundamentally sound state. The nesting boxes are missing, as are some of the external stones, but otherwise it is intact.

May 2011: External inspection finds no significant change from the previous site visit. The land around the doocot is now used for livestock, with the area immediately surrounding the structure fenced off.

20 December 2012: Local planners report the building remains at risk.

7 January 2015: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.