Dovecotes (Shire Library)

It is widely held that it was the Normans who introduced pigeon-keeping to Britain, and the earliest provision of housing for pigeons is found in some twelfth-century castles and religious buildings. This book explains why it was important to keep pigeons and describes the wide variety of buildings that were constructed to house them over the years. This distinctive architectural development is followed through from the earliest to the most recent, including some that have captured the fancy of great architects.