Rosehearty

A tall dovecot with chamfered angles forming an octagonal plan. It is built of harl pointed rubble with tooled granite ashlar dressings and margins with heavy boulder footings. It is built in two stages with long elevations on the N, S, E and W with doorway in the west. There is an oval oculus in the E, W and S elevations above a continuous alighting ledge. The wallhead is slightly corbelled and crenallated wallhead with each merlon capped by ball finial (12 in number). The wallhead masks a pyramidal slate roof. Inside the interior is lined full-height with approximately 300 brick nesting boxes with the base of each box constructed of brick slabs. A tall potence ladder still survives although some of the rungs are missing. Dated 1800. It was built by Lord Garden of Gardenstown when he bought the Pitsligo Estate. Each ball finial is said to represent one for each of his 12 Estates.