Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Dovecote
Loughgur, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Loughgur
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Turret (in ruins)
- Latest-edition OS map
- Pigeon House (in Ruins)
- Coordinates
- 52.52101, -8.52246
- SMR number
- LI032-022029-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated in woodland area 160m NW of Lough Gur Castle (LI032-022034-) and 65m S of the shoreline of Lough Gur. Present remains consist of a circular-shaped tower (ext. diam. 6.5m; int. diam. 4.9m; wall T approx. 0.4-0.8m) with rubble built walls standing to first floor level only, a portion of the wall has collapsed and the surviving section stands to a maximum 2.6m high. The internal face of the dovecote has been destroyed and no nesting boxes are visible.
Dovecote or pigeon house drawn in 1681 by Thomas Dineley when he visited Lough Gur Castle (NLI, MS 39). On this drawing the circular shaped pigeon house has a dome-shaped roof rising from a string-course with a cupola also known as a lantern or glover placed over the centre of the opening of the roof which allowed access for the birds and protected the interior from rain. A decorative pole can be seen on the drawing rising from the top of the cupola.
See attached drawing of 'Pigeon House' labelled P by Thomas Dineley (https://ttce.nuigalway.ie/irelandillustrated/?ttce_function=5&object_type=image&id=ii_image_1375093291)
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 10 December 2020
References
Shirley, E.P., Dineley, T., O'Brien, R. and Graves, J. 1858-67 Extracts from the Journal of Thomas Dineley, Esquire, giving some account of his visit to Ireland in the reign of Charles II. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 6, 73-91, 176-204, 289-90.
NLI, MS 392 - National Library of Ireland, "Observations in a voyage in the Kingdom of France", and "Observations in a voyage through the Kingdom of Ireland", both by Thomas Dingley, 1675-80.
Nearby in the register
- Crannogunder 1 mi
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
- Cistunder 1 mi
- Cistunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.