– Award Nomination –

Restoration of Titsey Dovecote

Originally constructed some time between 1851 and 1860, the Dovecote would have, in theory, provided meat and eggs during the winter months to supplement the kitchen gardens. However, at Titsey it was always a principally decorative structure due to its modest size and intricate design. It is a prominent octagonal structure clad in the local vernacular stone, and it had a particularly striking timber lantern glover roof.

Sadly, this beautiful building fell into disrepair in the late 19th and earliest 20th century as Titsey, like many landed estates, faced a period of challenging economic uncertainty. The earliest photograph the estate has is, we believe, early 20th century and shows the wooden lantern roof being overtaken by trees and overgrowth.

When the majority of the walled gardens and buildings were restored following the creation of the Titsey Foundation in the 1990s, the Dovecote was in quite severe disrepair, the roof had entirely collapsed, and sadly our limited funds did not allow for its restoration at that time.

Therefore we were particularly delighted that in 2023, we secured planning consent to rescue this building. We always hoped to undertake a faithful restoration of the original design. Despite not having any detailed plans or drawings, with the diligent help of our architects, Vallis & Hall Conservation Architects, we were able to use the remaining fragments of the roof and internal cladding to recreate what we believe it would have looked like in its prime. We could not be happier with the finished result – and we must thank your fantastic builder David Bagley for all his hard work and commitment to the project.

Although there are no plans to keep doves, we will install some nesting boxes to encourage more native birds to make the Titsey Dovecote their new desirable residence in Surrey!