Details

The monument includes a dovecote, situated in the garden of the Vicarage at Tintagel. The dovecote survives as a small circular building with a corbelled conical roof. It is set into the side of a bank with a single pedestrian door and an access hole in the roof for pigeons. The interior has 247 nesting boxes arranged in 13 tiers and there are traces of lime wash on the walls. The dovecote may date back to the 13th century according to Henderson, although it is more likely to be 16th century in origin.

The dovecote is Listed Grade II* (68845).

Sources: HER:-
PastScape Monument No:-431883

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Dovecotes are specialised structures designed for the breeding and keeping of doves as a source of food and as a symbol of high social status. Most surviving examples were built in the period between the 14th and the 17th centuries, although both earlier and later examples are documented. They were generally freestanding structures, square or circular in plan and normally of brick or stone, with nesting boxes built into the internal wall. They were frequently sited at manor houses or monasteries. They are generally regarded as an important component of local distinctiveness and character. The dovecote 35m south of the Vicarage, Tintagel, is widely regarded as one of the best preserved and finest examples in Cornwall.

Source: Historic England