New Elgin Doocot, Elgin | Restoration Case Study

Our role: Contractor
Client: Moray Council

The New Elgin Doocot is a Category B listed 17th-century beehive dovecot, built of coursed rubble with stone rat ledges and a circular stone cope. For Moray Council we repaired the structure, stonework and nearly 500 internal nest boxes, and returned it to lime harling. This was one of LTM's first projects in 1999.

Before & after

Drag across the image to compare the building before our work and after completion.

New Elgin Doocot after restoration by LTM Group

BeforeAfter

The challenge

Vandalism and fire had caused structural movement and decay, and earlier repairs had used hard cement mortar. The door abutments needed very different treatments, and almost every one of the internal stone nest boxes had been damaged.

Our solution

After surveying the masonry, we replaced the right-hand door abutment to match the original profile and rebuilt the left-hand chamfer with lime mortar on stainless steel armatures. Cement pointing was removed and the doocot repointed in lime, harled and finished with five coats of limewash. Inside, new stone was scribed, cut and dowelled into each fractured nest box, keeping intervention to a minimum.

Outcomes

Structure repaired

Fire and vandal damage made good with matching stone and lime.

Nearly 500 nest boxes restored

Each repaired individually with minimal loss of original fabric.

Traditional finish

Lime harl and five coats of limewash returned the doocot to its historic appearance.

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New Elgin Doocot