As a child, I remember my grandfather having a pigeon coup in the back of his Newark, New Jersey home. It was built with wooden boards, had a swinging blue door, and several compartments for the pigeons to sleep and walk around.

Well, as a child, I knew nothing about these creatures or their history. I knew they were unbelievably smart and in some cases lovable, but I never really knew the real story about them. Seeing as how I love history and I just had to get to the bottom of this, I discovered something highly unusual about their residence many years ago.

Source

Dovecote birdhouses were used to house pigeons for food and flesh. At the end of a residence, a square or circular building would be constructed with holes for nesting. These structures were typically used in Medieval Europe, where these signified power and wealth.

Interestingly enough, many of these medieval structures are still standing today in France, the United Kingdom, and Scotland.

The Evolution

Pigeons were an immense passion and hobby for Romans, and typically the most powerful of men had these buildings constructed with marble powder coated roofing. Varro, Columella and Pliny the Elder wrote works on pigeon farms and dovecote construction. In the time of the Republic, the internal design of “pigeonholes was adapted for the purpose of disposing of cremated ashes after death: these columbaria were generally constructed underground.”

The dovecote center is divided into pigeon holes, each lodging a pair of pigeons. These boulins can be in rock, brick or cob and installed in braided wicker in the form of a basket or of a nest. Several dovecotes in France , including the chateau d’Aulnay which has 2,000 boulins and Port-d’Envaux with its 2,400 boulins, are among the largest ones in France.

Source (Doocot at St. Andrews, restored by the St. Andrews Preservation Trust)

During the Middle Ages, the ownership of a dovecote was a privilege of the lord. He was granted authorization by his overlord to build a dovecote or two on his estate lands. The dovecote birdhouses had to be in proportion to the importance of the property, positioned in a floor higher than a hen-house, an oven, or even a wine cellar.

Although the pigeons and doves produced a highly powerful and useful fertilizer, they were frequently seen as a annoyance by the nearby farmers.

Source (A colombier (dovecote) in Jersey, Channel Islands)

“In numerous regions (in France) where the right to possess a dovecote was reserved solely for the nobility (Brittany, Normandy, etc.), the complaint rolls very frequently recorded formal requests for the suppression of this privilege and the right for its abolition; which would finally be ratified in August 4 1789 in France.”

The dovecotes were normally built away from the trees that could possibly house larger birds or raptors. The walls were smoothed with banded stone and the doors were always kept tightly shut to keep rodents and pests out.

Depending on the location, many different building materials and designs were used to craft these domes. In some cases, a circular tower was built with tiles, stone, and a roof made of bricks. A skylight or opening was available to let air and light into the building.

The French Dovecote

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

The pigeonnier or colombier in France were typically built of wood and had a sublime appearance.  The French also constructed these birdhouses out of stone, and shaped them into octagonal, circular, and square buildings. Often times, the dovecote was built directly into the walls of a farmhouse and the upper lookout towers. The Château de Suscinio in Morbihan,  amongst many other manors,  still has a complete dovecote standing on the grounds outside the castle.

The United Kingdom Dovecote

Source (Dovecote at Nymans Gardens, West Sussex, England)

During the 12th century, dove-keeping was coming of age in Norman castles. “The earliest surviving, definitely-dated free-standing dovecote in this country was built in 1326 at Garway in Herefordshire.”

Over the years, the construction and design has changed to fit the times. The roofs were steepened, beehive like tops took shape, and larger buildings were constructed to hold thousands of nesting boxes. However, in the 18th century there was no demand for dovecotes, other than the incorporation into farm homes.

Glascow, Scotland

Source (Urban doocot in Glasgow, Scotland)

Source

Of course, trends tend to come around once more, so during the 20th century the use of bright paints and iron materials made these structures popular once again.

“The Romans may have introduced dovecotes columbaria to Britain — pigeon holes have been       found in Roman ruins at Caerwent. However it is believed that doves were not commonly kept there until after the Norman invasion.”

The Belgium Dovecote

Source

Source

The dovecote birdhouses in Belgium are typically used for racing pigeons, which is not that uncommon around the globe. There are trap doors installed for the pigeons to enter, but not to exit. “Interestingly, the Flemish dialectword for dovecote is “duivekot”.”

The Scotland Dovecote

Source

Newark castle

Source

 Source (At Newark Castle, a corner tower of the outer defensive wall was converted to a doocot in 1597)

This Scottish dovecote is situated at the well-preserved Newark castle on the south shore of the estuary of the River Clyde in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, Scotland. For centuries, this site was used to divest seagoing ships, and led to the expansion of Port Glasgow close to the castle on either side and to the south.