CUMBERLAND 



The dovecote is an octagonal building of 

 dressed ashlar, similar to that of the mansion 

 itself, which was built from designs by Inigo 

 Jones at intervals during the last forty years of 

 the seventeenth century. The dovecote had 

 been long neglected, till, some fifty years ago, 

 attention was called to its interest by a guest 

 staying in the house, when it was put into re- 

 pair. 



The potence, though without the ladder, still 

 remains, together with about four hundred and 

 fifty nest -holes. These are L-shaped, nine in- 

 ches high, five inches broad at the entrance, 

 and penetrating nine inches into the wall, the 

 right-angled recess adding another ten inches. 

 The lowest of the twelve tiers in which they 

 are arranged isfour feet from the floor, and im- 

 mediately before it is a ledge six inches broad. 

 This was evidently intended as a safeguard 

 against rats, as the remaining ledges — one to 

 every tier of nests — are only half the breadth. 

 The octagonal roof is surmounted by a small 

 lantern or "glover." 



Wreay Hall has, on one of its farms, a dove- 

 cote, likewise octagonal, of dressed ashlar, and 



131 



