Details

The monument includes an early 18th century dovecote, situated south of
Milcombe Hall Farm and east of the original Manor Farm.
The dovecote has an octagonal plan and is built of ironstone rubble. It
contains about 850 nest holes and originally included a complicated wooden egg
collecting ladder mechanism. The structure has a stone-slate roof supported by
a wooden hipped structure which, although believed to be 18th century in date,
is late medieval in character.
The present roof has been surveyed in advance of repair and includes a cupola
trap-door.
The dovecote is a Grade II Listed Building.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

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. Whilst a relatively common
monument class (1500 examples are estimated to survive out of an original
population of c.25,000), most will be considered to be of national interest,
although the majority will be listed rather than scheduled. They are also
generally regarded as an important component of local distinctiveness and
character.

The dovecote south of Milcombe Hall Farm survives well and is known to contain
all the original nesting holes. It also contains the base of the internal
wooden mechanisms which included an egg collecting ladder. It is unusual in
plan, being octagonal, whereas most dovecotes in Oxfordshire were built with a
circular layout.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
ARCH 1, O.A.U., Milcombe Dovecote, recording prior to refurbishment., (1996)

Source: Historic England