Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Glynhir Dovecote
Llandybie, Carmarthenshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Domestic
- Date of designation
- 26 November 1951
- Locality
- Glynhir
- Town
- Ammanford
- Community
- Llandybie
- Unitary authority
- Carmarthenshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.81827, -3.97585
- Cadw reference
- 10904
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1860 "41. Caermathen." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
At the entrance to Glynhir mansion and farmyard.
History
Probably late C18, put up as one of the improvements following the acquisition of Glynhir by Peter DuBuisson in 1770. Until recently the dovecote was surmounted by an octagonal pyramid roof with a wooden cupola, and retained the complete potence.
According to a strong local tradition [Lewis], the first news of the victory at Waterloo came to Britain by pigeons returning to this dovecote; Caroline DuBuisson is said to have raced to London and to her connections, the Rothschild family, with the news, to take maximum commercial advantage of this early information.
Exterior
Octagonal stone dovecote, about 6m in height, and now lacking its original roof and cupola. The stonework consists of very thin sandstone slabs, including the cambered arch over the entrance doorway. The eight corners are not differentiated from the rest of the masonry. Small string course near the head of the wall. The walls are about 0.7m in thickness, including the depth of the nesting boxes.
Interior
The interior has 20 rows of eight nesting boxes in each of the eight sides apart from the entrance side, making a total of about 750 boxes. There are small landing shelves beneath each row. The base for the central revolving potence remains.
Reason for designation
A fine C18 dovecote notwithstanding the loss of its original domed roof and cupola, also listed for group value with Glynhir mansion.
Nearby in the register
- Glynhir Brewhouse and Yard WallDomesticunder 1 mi
- Glynhir MansionDomesticunder 1 mi
- Glynhir PigstiesAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
- Glynhir Courtyard CottageAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.