dovecote

A dovecote, also spelled dovecot in some regions, is a small building or a dedicated room used to house domesticated pigeons or doves. Historically it served as a controlled source of meat, eggs, and guano fertilizer, and in many feudal and later manorial systems its ownership or right to build was a mark of status or privilege. Dovecotes were common in medieval Europe and remain a recognizable feature of historic estates.

Typical dovecotes consist of an exterior structure that may be a freestanding tower, a turret, or an annex to a larger building, with an interior array of nest holes or shelves known as a loft. Access to the birds is via doorways and internal galleries; many designs include a circular or square plan, with a roof that may be conical, domed, or pitched. The walls often provide dozens to hundreds of individual nesting holes.

Regional names reflect variations: in Scotland the doocot; in France the pigeonnier or pigeonnière; in England and Wales the dovecote. Some are simple single-storey enclosures, while others are ornamental or fortress-like structures. In adaptive reuse, modern dovecotes may host racing or show pigeons, while preserving the historic architectural character.

Today, surviving dovecotes are commonly protected as cultural heritage in many countries. They can be privately owned, part of rural estates, or maintained by communities as educational or decorative features. Maintenance involves ensuring ventilation, preventing predator access, and removing droppings to preserve the structure and reduce odor.