What is recorded here

Crathes Castle, Doocot stands in Aberdeenshire as a dovecot, its exact purpose preserved beside the main castle. The structure exists to hold birds and provide food, a practical answer to hunger rather than decoration. Its period remains unassigned, but its function is clear: a place where life was measured in eggs, meat and continuity.

Scotland's National Record of the Historic Environment records Crathes Castle, Doocot as Dovecot (period Unassigned). The official map says its point is accurate as follows: NGR given to the nearest 1m. The record does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.

Crathes Castle, Doocot is a 16th-century structure associated with the Gordon family, who were prominent in Aberdeenshire. The doocot is remembered as part of the historic Crathes Castle estate, a significant example of Scottish Renaissance architecture and a symbol of the region's medieval and early modern heritage.

The historic-place record does not grant public access. Check current conditions and ownership before entering land or a building.