Arch, architecture, Cleveland, country house, Dovecote, garden history, landscape, landscape garden, North Yorkshire, Temple

The Pigeon Cote, Kirkleatham, North Yorkshire

In 1934 a local paper published a ‘Cleveland Ramble’ featuring a walk around Kirkleatham village. The author looked across the park to the ‘elaborate castellated pigeon-cote’ which was described as a ‘startling example’ of the extravagant ‘pseudo Gothic craze’ of the later 18th century. Only a couple of decades after this account was published the castellations were gone, and the pigeon cote was cracked and crumbling, and soon to disappear.

In 1808 Kirkleatham was praised for both its ‘various natural beauties’ and the ‘many decorations art has furnished it with’. The pigeon cote was one of the most striking of these ornaments, with a circular central tower and linking walls radiating out to three smaller turrets. Sadly no images of the folly before it began its decline have been found, but the Ordnance Survey maps illustrate the unusual plan.

Detail from the 1893 25″ Ordnance Survey map. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland. CC-BY.

The building’s early history seems to be lost, and although a document in the family archive cross-references an account book for work on the estate, that ledger does not seem to survive. The pigeon cote was most likely commissioned by Charles Turner (1726-1783), who lived at Kirkleatham after his father inherited the estate in 1757. No architect is named, although John Carr of York, who remodelled the house at Kirkleatham in the 1760s, is a possible contender. We do have a terminus post quem for the pigeon cote of around 1775, as it is not shown on an estate map of 1774.

Early 20th century postcard of the lost Kirkleatham Hall. Courtesy of a private collection.

The Kirkleatham estate passed through various families until the middle of the 20th century. The contents were then dispersed and, after attempts to find a use failed, the fabric of Kirkleatham Hall was auctioned as building materials in 1954.

The elegant temple in decay shortly before it was demolished in the early 1960s. ©Historic England Archive AA53_12861.

Although promises were made to protect the historic structures on the estate, the pigeon cote and temple, admired by the 1934 rambler as an ‘exquisite little pavilion’, survived for less than a decade before they too were pulled down. The arable field surrounding the pigeon cote now covers the site of the building, with not a trace remaining above ground.

The Pigeoncote shortly before it was demolished. This wonderful image, and the title image, are by Peter Burton, of whom more below. ©Estate of Peter Burton.

Happily there are still many reasons to visit Kirkleatham. The Free School of 1709 houses the Kirkleatham Museum, and the almshouses called Turner’s Hospital and the church with its adjoining Turner Mausoleum are both fascinating structures (there’s limited public access to the interiors, but they can be admired from the footpath).

Kirkleatham Free School, now a museum full of interest.

The walled garden has been restored and continues to develop, and a wander around the village reveals the elegant stables and a number of other fascinating structures – look out for information boards and maps around the village. Here’s a taster…

The arch known today as the Toasting Gate, and a glimpse of the stables.

Thanks to David Winpenny for introducing me to the archive of Peter Burton’s photographs. Burton (1927-2014) took many of the images which illustrated the Shell Guides that were produced in the mid-20th century. Burton was commissioned to write the North Yorkshire volume by the editorial team of John Piper and John Betjeman, but the project was cancelled before he could complete his research. He eventually published his material as North Yorkshire: a Guide in 2006. Thanks also to Burton’s friend and fellow photographer Harland Walshaw for permission to use images from the collection.

For the Kirkleatham Walled Garden https://kirkleathamwalledgarden.co.uk

And for more on the Kirkleatham Museum https://redcarcleveland.co.uk/enjoy/kirkleatham-museum/

Comments are most welcome – scroll down to share any thoughts. Thank you for reading.

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7 thoughts on “The Pigeon Cote, Kirkleatham, North Yorkshire”

  1. TOM GARDNER says:

    TOM GARDNER HERE – NYC – FOR A FEW INSIGHTS … ‘THIS SIDE OF THE POND’
    AS MENTION IN MY PREVIOUS EMAIL, I’M A 77 YEAR OLD, FORMER BUTLER, TURNED ANTIQUES DEALER, WITH A PERSONAL HISTORY OF APPRECIATING ‘OLD’ OBJECTS OF VARIOUS FORMS.
    WHILE MY ‘LADIES’ ALL HAD AT LEAST THREE RESIDENCES: MAJOR – USUALLY IN A CITY, FOLLOWED BY A WINTER AND THE THIRD, A COUNTRY OR SUMMER ADDRESS.
    AS MENTIONED PRIOR, I WAS: 4TH FOOTMAN. AKA JR. BUTLER FOR MRS. MERRIWEATHER POST AT BOTH HER PALM BEACH, FLORIDA RESIDENCE (MAR-A-LAGO c. 1967) AND THE WONDERFUL MUSEUM LEVEL HOME OF ‘HILLWOOD’ IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
    FOR FUN – GOOGLE: NEW YORK SOCIAL DIARY. THEN. MAR A LAGO
    BUT TO THE POINT OF …’ THE LONGEVITY OF STRUCTURES … MY EMPLOY AS BUTLER, THE SUMMER OF 1972 FOR WIDOWER: MR. I. TOWNSEND BURDEN – WHOSE LATE WIFE WAS: NEE -FRANCIS FRICK (GRANDDAUGHTER TO – HENRY CLAY FRICK, AS IN MUSEUM,
    IS A CASE IN POINT AS TO … ‘DOWN SIZING’.
    THE MAIN HOME, ON LONG ISLAND’S ‘GOLD COAST’ WAS IN LOCUST VALLEY. IT WAS BUILT FOR THE NIECE OF – J.P. MORGAN. IT WAS A MASSIVE, HANDSOME ENGLISH TUDOR STRUCTURE.
    THE STAFF WING WAS THREE STORIES, HOUSING TWELVE BEDROOMS AND THREE BATHS.
    IN MY TIME, 1972, IT WAS TOTALLY EMPTY.
    AT THE OTHER END OF THE MANSION, ON THE GROUND FLOOR WAS THE MASSIVE – BALL ROOM – AGAIN NOT USED.
    THE HOME HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE YOUNG COUPLE AS A WEDDING GIFT BY GRAND DAD ‘FRICK’
    THE UNION PRODUCED FIVE CHILDREN, FOUR BOYS AND ONE GIRL.
    MY ARRIVAL FOUND ONLY THE YOUNGEST … DIXON FRICK BURDEN AT HOME AGE 15.

    ALL OF THIS TO CLOSE WITH … WHEN MR. BURDEN SOLD THE HOUSE, THE NEW OWNERS, FOR LIFESTYLE EASE AND TAXES ….. REMOVED BOTH WINGS.
    THE STORY GOES, THAT THE MULTICOLORED SLATE ROOFS ON EACH SECTION, WAS OF SUCH VALUE THAT IT COVERED THE EXPENSE OF THE TOTAL REMOVAL
    THAT’S ALL FOLKS!

    1. Editor says:

      Good morning Tom. A fascinating tale of riches and excess, thanks for sharing.

  2. Judith Rossiter says:

    The fascinating anecdote above is hard to follow ! A glimpse into another world !!

    1. Editor says:

      Sadly there are too many stories of great houses built with the riches of one generation only to be abandoned by the next.

    2. TOM GARDNER says:

      DEAR JUDITH, SUN. 14 APR 24
      PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR MY OFTEN – ‘DIGRESSING’ … STORY LINE. THE FACT THAT IN MY
      20’s (c. 1960’s) I WAS A BUTLER FOR THE LAST … ‘ASTOR – 400’ (USA) – THUS ALLOWING ME TO WORK AND BE HOUSED IN ‘STRUCTURES’ OF BEAUTY AND ‘STANDING’. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THOSE ‘STRUCTURES’ ARE NO LONGER … STANDING.
      SADLY, OVER HALF OF THEM ARE NOW GONE; REPLACED WITH TRULY … A MIXED-BAG OF ‘REPLACEMENTS’, LESS CREATIVE.
      SO THERE YOU ARE!
      IN CLOSING, WE SHOULD DO OUR BEST TO INSURE THOSE REMAINING …
      REMAIN FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
      I REMAIN,
      TOM GARDNER (THE ONCE UPON A TIME BUTLER)

  3. Paul Kirkwood says:

    Sad about the pigeon cote. This is an interesting corner of the North Riding that it’s easy to overlook when coast bound.
    Paul.

    1. Editor says:

      Hello Paul. Yes Kirkleatham deserves to be better known, there’s so much of interest there.

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