Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
10 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
13 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
16 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland East Linton Phantassie Doocot
AO Edited

Phantassie Doocot

A curious structure built just for the birds.

East Linton, Scotland

Added By
Annetta Black
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Wikimedia
  Wikimedia
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  Wikimedia
  Wikimedia
The ledges were to prevent rats getting in!   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Doocot shadow, rainbow background   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This odd little round building at the edge of a Scottish field is not an unusual barn or eclectic domicile – it is in fact a very well preserved 16th century dovecote (here shortened to "doocot"), or nesting home for doves.

Dovecotes were once very common across Europe, particularly at manor houses and estates, where birds were kept for food and eggs, as well as using their droppings for crop fertilizer. 

The architecture of the Phantassie dovecote is unusual, topped with a horse-shoe shaped parapet. It is 56 feet in circumference with 4 1/2 foot thick walls to protect the residents from the elements. Inside, there are 16 entrances and 544 nooks for nesting birds.

It is now a protected historic structure, overseen by the National Trust for Scotland. 

Related Tags

Birds Dovecotes Pigeons Outsider Architecture Animals
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Scotland: Beyond the Haggis

Smoked seafood, single malt whisky, and warm hospitality.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Annetta Black

Edited By

Rachel, Martin, Osage, SEANETTA...

  • Rachel
  • Martin
  • Osage
  • SEANETTA
  • katielou106

Published

November 20, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantassie_Doocot
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dovecote
  • http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/56211/details/phantassie+dovecot/
Phantassie Doocot
14 Stories Park
East Linton, Scotland, EH40 3DF
United Kingdom
55.987938, -2.647825
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

R34 Memorial

East Lothian, Scotland

miles away

Belhaven Bridge

Dunbar, Scotland

miles away

Ruins of Tantallon Castle

North Berwick, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 734
Stories 49

Nearby Places

R34 Memorial

East Lothian, Scotland

miles away

Belhaven Bridge

Dunbar, Scotland

miles away

Ruins of Tantallon Castle

North Berwick, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 734
Stories 49

Related Places

  • Isfahan, Iran

    Pigeon Towers of Iran

    These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

  • Hundreds of dovecotes in the streets of Mit Gahmr

    Madinet Mit Ghamr, Egypt

    Mit Ghamr Dovecotes

    Giant pigeon houses packed into city streets in Egypt.

  • The Wonderful Barn

    Leixlip, Ireland

    The Wonderful Barn

    A corkscrew-shaped barn in Ireland.

  • Culver Hole

    Port Eynon, Wales

    Culver Hole

    This tall stone wall with no door and ill-matched windows was built centuries ago, and used as a shelter for domesticated pigeons.

  • The warrior birds memorial

    Worthing, England

    Warrior Birds Memorial

    An eccentric memorial garden to the "warrior" birds of World War I, the messenger pigeons used by the Allied forces.

  • Carnlough, Northern Ireland

    Paddy the Pigeon Plaque

    A harbor town pays tribute to a heroic wartime carrier pigeon.

  • Lonely tower.

    Nottinghamshire, England

    Sibthorpe Dovecote

    This 600-year-old tower was built as a comfy residence for cherished pigeons.

  • Monument to Carrier Pigeons.

    Lille, France

    Monument to Carrier Pigeons

    This statue honors the thousands of Allied avians that served and died for France during World War I.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.