Building record 3368/0/13 - Dovecote to Rear of The Red Lion Public House

Dovecote to rear of Red Lion Public House. A circular stone building with a plain tiled roof and an ornate cupola. The walls slope inwards and are built of unlevelled courses of roughly hammer dressed stone blocks which vary in depth. The glover is circular and is covered by an ornate eight sided cupola with a lead domed roof and a turned ball shaped finial with a roll moulding underneath. There is no evidence of a potence. There evidence that the building is of several phases and all that remains of the first phase is external stonework up to the second offset. The first phase of work dates from after 1600, the second phase from the 18th century and the final phase from the 19th century.

{1} Dovecote. C17/C18. Coursed limestone rubble, plain-tile roof. Circular plan. Plank door with wood lintel. String course well short of eaves, conical roof, circular arcaded timber glover with domed lead roof and large ball finial.

{4} A circular stone building with a plain tiled roof and ornate cupola. There is sufficient evidence to show that the building is of several phases. The only evidence for the dating of the first phase is the south door and the use of offsets on the wall. Based on this it is unlikely that it was constructed before 1600 and a date later in the seventeenth century is likely. Documentary evidence in respect of the dovecote is poor. Detailed description of building, drawings and photographs.

{5} A small inspection trench was opened adjacent to the south west exterior wall of the dovecote. A modern concrete underpinning 'apron' was found fixed to the dovecote wall, below which earlier foundations and the wall foundation trench were seen. 2 sherds of medieval pottery were found but these may be residual or relate to an earlier use of the site.

{13} Diameter at ground level on the inside is 14'3" and the walls are 2'6" thick. The height to the eaves is 16'6" and to the top of the cupola is c27'. The tower has three set backs, the uppermost of which alone is protected by a string course. The roof was renewed and lead covered cupola placed on the summit in c1840. Most likely to be 250 years old (c1650AD).

{14} photographs;

{15} Undated photo;

{16} Condition Survey undertaken in 2019 identified several key items of concern including water ingress, damage/rot to various timbers including the roof and door lintels, and cracks in the stonework.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/87 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Sharman T., 2006, Condition Report on Twenty-Four Northamptonshire County Heritage Sites, (checked) (Report). SNN105591.

<4> Giggins B., 2011, The Dovecote, Denton, (checked) (Report). SNN109299.

<5> Haley G., 1991, Archaeological Evaluation at Denton Dovecote, (checked) (Report). SNN48955.

<6> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, 24/119 (checked) (Article). SNN104441.

<7> Pike, A (ed), 1992, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (22), 22/32 (checked) (Journal). SNN100613.

<8> Sharman, T., 2011, Welcome to Denton Dovecote, (checked) (Leaflet). SNN108466.

<9> Jackson, Z., 2012, Bat Activity Surveys of Six County Heritage Sites in Northamptonshire, (checked) (Report). SNN108414.

<10> Conisbee, 2012, Denton Dovecote Structural Survey, (checked) (Report). SNN108412.

<11> Giggins B., 1993, The Dovecote, Denton, (checked) (Report). SNN62798.

<12> NCC Heritage Team, 1989-3, Denton Dovecote restoration (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN110841.

<13> Markham, C A, 1906, Northamptonshire Notes and Queries, p. 144-5 (Journal). SNN111270.

<14> Collins P., 1972, Dovecotes: With Particular Reference to the Dovecotes of Northamptonshire (Dissertation). SNN71824.

<15> Photographs of buildings in Denton (Photographs). SNN111633.

<16> McSeveney, J, 2019, Denton Dovecote, Northamptonshire: Condition Survey (Report). SNN114462.

<17> Historic England, Denton Dovecote, BF096981 (Archive). SNN116359.

Record last edited

May 20 2024 10:31AM