Whittington Hall Dovecote

The Grade II listed medieval Dovecote at Whittington originates from the 15th century, and is unusual being constructed from dressed sandstone.   Additions to the dovecote were made in the 18th Century.

The dovecoat is constructed of  red sandsone  with a red brick upper wall.  There is a weather vane on the top of the pointed slate roof .

The possession of a dovecotewas considered to be a symbol of status and power.

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Only nobles had this special privilege known as droit de colombier. Many ancient manors have a dovecote in one section of the manorial enclosure or in nearby fields.   The Whitington Dovecote was probably part of the estate of the manor house that is now the Whittington Inn.

The Dovecote is located at Lower Whittington Farm, alongside the A449 near the Whittington Inn,  originally a timber-framed manor house dating from the 14th-century. The front door of the Whittington bears the rare seal of Queen Anne with the inscription Anne R. 1711.   The Inn won the English Heritage Carpenters Award in 1999. when it was judged to be the most outstanding example of conservation and repair of our heritage in woodwork.