Newark Doocot

A 'doocot', or a dovecot, is a building that is built to nest doves, and other species of bird. The name is derived from the Scottish slang, 'doo', meaning 'dove', and 'cot' as a sleeping place. We know this from a baby's cot, which is, too, a sleeping or resting place. They are often built as standalone structures, like Newark's Doocot, or integrated into barns and buildings. These structures generally contain nesting holes, found in doocots all across Britain, allowing birds to safely hide themselves from dangerous weather, and predators.

The Newark Doocot was on the grounds of Newark Castle, as it was part of the estate. More information about Newark Castle can be found in another of our articles, named 'Newark Castle', on the 'Tour the Village' page.

Have a look!

Some stunning photography from one of our kind viewers, Lynne Muir, lets us have a great look at the Doocot. We can see that it is constructed in a 'closing-cylinder' shape, and is topped with a mixture of grass, slate, gravel, and earth to create a sturdy roof. The structure is now out of use, but was a hive for bird breeding, and was a '5-star bird hotel' of its time. After all, it stood on royal grounds, and was subject to a high standards of upkeep and was often repaired within hours of any damage. Of course, the Newark Castle estate now sits atop a crumbling cliff, and awaits the gaping jaws of time, waiting to be consumed.

However, the Doocot and Newark Castle can be saved. While this may be difficult, it is likely that with some effort, coastal erosion and its damaging effects can be reversed, stopping the destruction of these historic gems. St Monans would be losing a part of its identity as a village if coastal erosion takes the wheel. We have the power to stop this.