Bogward Doocot

Bogward Doocot

Immovable Culture Heritage

Doocots are structures intended to house pigeons and doves for later consumption. The structures have openings and provisions for roosting and breeding. Beyond a primary food source, pigeons and doves were an important source of eggs, feathers (pillows, bedding), and dung (fertilizer, softening leather, manufacturing gunpowder). Although doocots are physical structures, they are reminders of intangible aspects of Scottish history and heritage, because they were a part of everyday life. Doocots adapted beyond being a storage house into social status symbols in medieval Europe and are sources of some Scottish mythology (intangible). Into the 20th century, they were built as decorative additions to farm buildings and gardens. Climate change worsens the weather exposure threatening Scottish doocots. In some cases, doocots have been restored; however, their specific structure makes it difficult to adapt, reuse and convert to modern uses. A current attempt at digital preservation of this site is done by the St. Andrews Preservation Trust, where they offer virtual tours. There is also an extensive photo gallery online of volunteers photographing, locating and identifying doocots.

is51102023

16th Century

vbtt1

English

Site

572

27/03/2023

04/21/2023 08:44:02 am

cm x cm x cm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogward_Dovecot

current,56.32996732702832,-2.8234256000966327;

Bogward Doocot

TEXT

Building

44 Doocot Rd, St Andrews KY16 8QP

vbtt1@st-andrews.ac.uk

Images are taken from Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Bogward_dovecote Photos from Cyril Thomas (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dovecotewiki1.JPG, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dovecote_St_Andrews.jpg) and user Ombtom (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bogward_Dovecot.jpg).