Dovecote

The National Monuments Service's description

Located immediately NE of a large enclosure (KK023-058001-) and 25m SW of another enclosure (KK023-057----). Orpen (1909, 320-21) provides an extent of lands, ‘of Joan, Countess of Gloucester and Hertford, taken in 1307, the jurors say that there are within the manor of Dunfert “Within the enclosure one hall, one chamber, one dairy, one grange, one bretage beyond the gate, and other wooden houses”. They also mention “a dovecote,” perhaps at the same spot’.
A circular dovecote (diam. c. 7m), only the N section of walling survives (H 5.5m) and this is corbelled towards the top. There are remnants of pigeon holes internally, starting c. 0.6m above ground level and running in vertical lines c. 0.3m apart. They have narrow entrances but are wider inside and they are divided from each other by thin stone flags which act as lintels. The exterior was harled. Two bricks were noted in the fabric, possibly indicating a date around the 16th/17th century for the structure.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 18 August 2021

References

Orpen, G.H. 1909 Motes and Norman castles in Ossory. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 39, 313-42.