CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

 DEVON AND 

 CORNWALL 



CoNTRARYto expectation Devonshire, a county 

 otherwise so rich in history, legend, ancient 

 monuments of many kinds, yields but a poor 

 return so far as dovecotes are concerned. It is 

 extremely difficult to understand why Devon- 

 shire should have possessed few dovecotes; 

 equally difficult to know why, if they once ex- 

 isted, they should have so largely disappear- 

 ed. The fact remains, the explanation rests 

 obscure. 



Still, that county which, to many persons 

 other than its own inhabitants, will ever be the 

 best loved in all England, is not entirely with- 

 out examples. At Powderham Castle, near Ex- 

 eter, the seat of the Earl of Devon, a field con- 

 tains an ancient dovecote standing near the 

 Exeter to Dawlish road. The field is known 

 as "Pigeon Vale"; but as a human family of 

 Pigeons has for long resided in the parish, it 

 is most probably to them, and not to the old 

 building's former occupants, the name is due. 

 The dovecote is also locally known as the 



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