BOOK OF DOVECOTES 



the pointed doorway is awindow-slit in the form 

 of a Greekcross,oneach side of which is aquat- 

 refoil opening, now blocked up with stone — if, 

 indeed, they were ever open. Inside the nests ■ 

 are made of wood; this fact, in spite of the quite 

 usual style of roof and cupola, make it permiss- 

 ible to doubt whether the tower was not origin- 

 ally intended for an outlookratherthanapigeon- 

 house. 



In Stirlingshire we will pass over a good cir- 

 cular dovecote at Dunipace, near Denny, in 

 favour of something still better to be found at 

 South Bantaskine, a house on a hill-side two 

 miles from Falkirk. The house itself is not a 

 century old; and the adj oining quarry whence its 

 stone was taken has been turned into a most 

 charming water- and rock-garden, where asmall 

 stone Cupid smiles upon the scene. But it is on 

 the lawn beside the house that we shall find the 

 dovecote, which was spared from demolition 

 when the former mansion was pulled down. 



Itisan upperstoryonly,placedupon the arch 

 that formed the entrance to the former stables, 

 and is octagonal, with a fine ogee roof. In each 

 of its eight walls there is a pointed window; 

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