Naunton Dovecote alongside the River Windrush, Naunton, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Hidden away behind the village of Naunton, in a quiet field with a spectacular view of river and hills, is a slightly ramshackle looking building, occupied by pigeons and surrounded by grazing sheep. This is a centuries-old dovecote, a Grade II* listed Ancient Monument. There are conflicting views as to how old it is; village tradition says it is 15th century, but architecturally, it points more to the first half of the 17th century. There is no documentary evidence to confirm its age, and tests on its fabric have so far proved inconclusive. Naunton’s dovecote is large, having nestholes for over 1,000 birds. Built of stone, it has four gables and would have been the property of a wealthy man – probably the lord of the manor of Naunton. The meat of young doves was a dish for the rich, and their droppings would have been used as fertiliser by the locals. As the price of corn rose, from the end of the 18th century, dovecotes became less popular, and many were either converted or demolished. However, the Naunton dovecote, because of its prime location by a river, was turned into a corn mill, making animal feed. It continued in this guise until 1952, when the reducing of the river’s flow made it uneconomical. The dovecote then had an agricultural purpose, being used for storing animals and equipment. The dovecote was restored in 2001, but still looks isolated, being situated near a dilapidated turbine house that was built in the 1920s. The Naunton Dovecote Conservation Society aims to restore this building, too, in the future, to preserve two interesting buildings from Naunton’s history.
Size: 5472px × 3647px
Photo credit: © paul weston / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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