New Foxhall Dovecot

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The monument consists of the remains of a dovecote, dating to the post-medieval period. A dovecote is a house for doves and pigeons, usually placed at a height above the ground, with openings and provision inside for roosting and breeding.

It is located c. 30m south-east of DE054 Foxhall Newydd House, and is attached to the wall of the garden belonging to Foxhall Newydd Cottages. It is set on slightly raised ground within Foxhall Woods. It is a square, roofless, mostly limestone rubble structure with a single green sandstone string-course near its base. Diameter 6.5m and estimated height to apex of gable is 5m. It is attached (butt-joints) at its south-west and north-west corners to a drystone wall. There are two mutilated doorways at ground-level in the centres of the north-west side, which seems to be original, and in the north-east side which seems to be secondary. Above this door is an irregular c. 1m wide and 0.5m high opening at eaves level. Between this and the apex of the gable is a projecting limestone string-course or shelf, a few centimetres deep, for pigeons. Above this is a blocked square opening c. 0.4m diameter with a worn sandstone sill and boxed on the other 3 sides by thin limestone slabs - this being the original entry into the dovecote for the birds.

Internally there are the remains of two strips of pigeon-holes extending on all 4 sides interrupted by the openings. The upper set extends from the eaves 5 boxes down and 12 across. The lower set was originally 9 boxes down by 11 across. Each box, formed by rough limestone blocks and thin slabs measures c. 0.25m square and deep, originally c. 620 boxes.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of post-medieval agricultural and settlement organisation. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.