Description

Dated 1753. Extended and renovated, probably by David Hamilton in the early 19th century. Circular-plan, 3-stage, random rubble and ashlar pavilion-type dovecote with deep overhanging eaves and shallow conical roof. Timber boarded door to E with raised rubble architrave, dated lintel and central tripartite keystone carving. Sloped, tooled ashlar rat-course (19th century) to 1st stage. Rectangular louvered opening (remodelled in 19th century) to middle stage above doorway with 4 flight holes, alighting ledge to base and raised ashlar margins. Later 19th century ashlar 3rd stage with 6 square blind openings above moulded cill course; (3 E-facing openings with flight holes, corniced and bracketed alighting ledge below). Heavily re-pointed with cement mortar (20th century).

INTERIOR: access not obtained, 2004.

Statement of Interest

A-group listing, also including Cawder House, Cawder Stables, Cawder Icehouse, Cawder Gatelodge, Cawder Bridge and the lodge at 2 Cadder Road, Bishopbriggs. Well-preserved dovecote in a prominent position on the approach to Cawder House (see separate listing), and part of the main vista from the house. Cawder Dovecote remains the only surviving listed dovecot within Bishopbriggs Burgh and Cadder Parish, with the next nearest being at Craigmaddie House to the N. The dovecote dates originally from the mid-18th century, when they were a fashionable inclusion within a designed landscape, not only acting as valuable sources of meat and manure but also as visible symbols of the wealth and status of the landowners (after 1617 only landowners who had considerable lands were permitted to build dovecots). The dovecote was extended, probably in the early 19th century, as part of David Hamilton's improvements to Cawder House and the surrounding estate. The ashlar of the extended upper tier is of a similar type to that seen in the Cawder Gatelodge further down the driveway, and the dominating overhanging eaves are also a feature of the Gatelodge, constructed during these improvements. Hamilton was one of Scotland's most prolific and popular architects of the time, his major works including the Royal Exchange in Glasgow (1827-1832), Hamilton Palace (now demolished) and Hutcheson's Hospital (1802-1805). Charles Stirling (owner and benefactor of Cawder House) was an enthusiastic patron of his work, and prior to taking ownership of Cawder, Stirling had commissioned Hamilton to build his previous mansion, Kenmure House (now demolished, on the site of Bishopbriggs Golf Club to the SW of Cawder). Hamilton then executed the Cawder Estate improvements between 1813 and 1815, before returning to Cadder again in 1825 to build Cadder Parish Church. The mixed usage of the name Cawder and Cadder to describe the house, village and estate can be a source of some confusion. In the ancient maps of Richardson and Forrest, the parish is marked as 'Cadder' (the parish being one of the original 365 designated parishes), whilst the House and estate are marked as 'Calder'. The use of 'Calder' has since disappeared, and until the early 20th century the estate, village and parish were all refered to as Cadder. The use of the name Cawder was adopted by the golf club and this has since become the most common name for the House and its related estate, whilst the village and parish have continued to be called Cadder. These changes in name and spelling have been put down to gradual changes in dialect and pronunciation through time.

Cawder Dovecote is of particular note for its proximity to the Antonine Wall, which passes E-W across the Cawder Estate, to the S of the dovecote. It lies within the amenity zone for the Antonine Wall recommended in D N Skinner The Countryside of the Antonine Wall (1973), and which will form the basis of the buffer zone, yet to be defined, for the proposed Antonine Wall World Heritage Site.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17794099

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)