Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
5977
Building Number
Grade
II*
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
14/05/1970
Date of Amendment
12/03/1996
Name of Property
Dovecote
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Pembrokeshire
Community
Manorbier
Town
Locality
Manorbier Castle
Easting
206267
Northing
197855
Street Side
Location
Description
Broad Class
Domestic
Period
History
Exterior
In an isolated position 100 m NW of Manorbier Castle, reached by the side path which passes the ruined corn mill. The site of the dovecote is just beyond and half-hidden by the village sewage works.
Evidently the manorial dovecote of Manorbier, and likely to date well before from the descent of the Castle into decay in the early C16. Very similar to the dovecote at Angle which is likely to be of the C15.
Description: A large cylindrical dovecote with a corbelled-dome roof. Walls of large limestone rubble roughly brought to courses. The wall, including the nest boxes on the inside, is about 1.1 m thick. The corbelled dome consists of stones of small size. A low doorway faces E and has a flat arch with a relieving arch above. Internally it is rebated for a lost door-frame. The internal diameter of the dovecote is about 4.8 m and the height to the base of the dome about 5 m.
At 3 levels there are sets of entrance holes for the pigeons, passing straight through to the interior. At each level there are about 7 of these holes.
In the interior there are 12 rows of nest holes in the wall plus one row in the base of the dome. In a full circle there are 23 holes.
At the base of the dome internally is a stone shelf projecting about 10 cm. The dome is brought to an eye at the apex about 1.2 m diameter. Above this there are slabs, now broken. There is no sign of a potence.
Included as a Grade II* as a well-preserved late mediaeval dovecote of a West Country type.
Ancient Monument No.Pe459
References: A O Cooke, A Book of Dovecotes (1920) 202-3
Dyfed Arch.Trust S&M PRN 4212
Interior
Reason for designation
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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