A rare beehive-shaped dovecot survives from the agricultural estate of St Andrews Priory.
Quick facts
- Date
- Early to mid-sixteenth century; restored 1962–1974
- Architect / designer
- Original builder unknown; restored by St Andrews Preservation Trust
- Type
- Large beehive dovecot with rat courses, nesting boxes and potence
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB40932)
- OS grid reference
- NO 49182 15593
Architecture and continuing use
The battered sandstone cylinder is divided by three projecting rat courses and capped by a flat roof with bird-entry ports. Its interior retains hundreds of nesting boxes and a central rotating ladder.
Its story
The dovecot stood on Priory land and supplied meat, eggs and manure. Housing replaced Bogward Farm, while the Preservation Trust repaired the roof, door, masonry and internal access system.
Why it is included
It makes an often overlooked part of monastic and estate food production tangible within a modern neighbourhood.
What to notice
- Strong inward batter of the circular wall.
- Three ledges designed to obstruct rats.
- Bird-entry ports between the upper courses.
Reading the surroundings
View from lawful public space and avoid blocking nearby homes. The small interior is not assumed to be routinely open; do not force or climb the structure.
Timeline
- Early to mid-sixteenth century The dovecot stood on Priory land and supplied meat, eggs and manure. Housing replaced Bogward Farm, while the Preservation Trust repaired the roof, door, masonry and internal access system.
- Present Preserved historic structure in a residential setting.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The structure’s ownership and internal access arrangements are not advertised for casual visits; this record describes exterior appreciation.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Bogward Dovecot, LB40932 — Designation status, mapped location, construction phases, fabric, authorship and architectural or historical interest.
- University of St Andrews World Heritage Expo: Lade Braes — Current landscape context and confirmation of Preservation Trust restoration.
- University of St Andrews Collections: Bogward doocot photograph — Documentary evidence of the dovecot and its former farm setting, with rights statement.
Location
OS grid reference NO 49182 15593 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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