STRATHLEVEN HOUSE DOOCOT, Vale of Leven Industrial Estate, Dumbarton.
ACCESS : Easy access to and around the doocot, but not into it.
Listed A.
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Dovecots or doocots were an essential component of any large country estate. There is an amazing variety of shapes and sizes around Scotland. This stone one on the Strathleven Estate and right next to Strathleven House was built in the 18th century. It has 2 storeys, is pedimented and has plastered walls with pink stone dressing. The ground floor is vaulted. The south facing side has a pilastered doorway and alcove niche above. The ground floor now serves as a store. The upper levels would be compartmented to make it attractive and comfortable for pigeons. Depending on your interpretation, "pigeons" and "doves" are much the same thing. A "doo" is simply a version of "dove" and these buildings were cottages for doves, hence "doocot".
Doves were a popular semi-domesticated bird and would unsuspectedly and happily settle into these structures quite. Owners of doocots were not simply pigeon fanciers. Doves / pigeons were a common and easily accessed source of meat for the family and domestic servants. The larger the structure, the more the birds that could settle in them and therefore the more assured the supply of food on the table even when other sources, such as hunting, were less successul.
Nearby is a duckpond.
HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND website for listed buildings : http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB823
