Glenbarr Doocot
Summary
SHBT, in partnership with conservation specialists Limerich, has completed a comprehensive Feasibility Study for the historic Glenbarr Doocot, a category C listed structure nestled within the woodland of the former Glenbarr Abbey Estate on the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll.
Completion Date
Ongoing
Project & History
The Glenbarr Doocot was constructed in the 18th century to serve the Glenbarr Abbey Estate, home of the MacAlister family. Doocots were once a standard feature of Scottish landed estates: built to house pigeons that provided a year-round supply of fresh meat and eggs, they were considered so valuable that a 1503 Act of the Scots Parliament required every lord and laird to build one. By the 19th century, improvements in farming methods made them obsolete, and many fell into neglect.
Despite sitting just off the road through the village, the Glenbarr Doocot remained largely unknown for decades, concealed by dense rhododendron growth. It has been listed on the Buildings at Risk Register since 2009. It is one of 948 surviving doocots recorded across Scotland, modest in number given how many have been lost — and represents a rare example of this building type in Argyll.
SHBT was appointed in early 2025 by Glenbarr Community Development Association (GCDA) to deliver a Feasibility Study for the doocot, working alongside conservation specialists Limerich. The study included a full condition survey of the building and a series of recommendations covering both urgent repair needs and longer-term conservation options. It was commissioned as part of GCDA’s wider five-year strategic plan for the village.
The partnership came about through SHBT’s Doocot Diaries campaign – a social media initiative raising awareness of doocots across Scotland. GCDA first contacted SHBT in November 2024 after reading about the campaign, recognising it as a catalyst for exploring what might be done for Glenbarr’s own at-risk structure.
Alongside the study, SHBT and Limerich hosted a well-attended community talk on the history and cultural significance of doocots in Scotland. The event helped reintroduce the doocot to local people and sparked wider interest in its future. The doocot has already begun to play a small role in community life, with the local primary school incorporating it into their outdoor learning programme.
The next steps include developing specifications for urgent stabilisation works, involving community volunteers, and seeking external funding to support the first phase of conservation. GCDA has since approved an urgent stabilisation package for the building. Community involvement remains central to the project, with the aim of transforming a forgotten structure into a cherished local landmark.
Glenbarr Doocot
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