The monks constructed this MASSIVE dovecote in response to the famine of 1360, which towered 24 stories high and accommodated over 1,200 pigeons in its numerous small nesting niches. This structure aimed to offer a continuous supply of meat and eggs, along with a potent fertilizer, as a precaution against future food shortages.
Constructed after the Norman Conquest, dovecotes was designed to accommodate the large numbers of pigeons bred specifically for consumption. Pigeons were an essential source of meat, eggs, and feathers. The feathers were especially valued, as it was thought that sleeping on a mattress filled with pigeon down would lead to a long life.
The dung collected from the dovecotes served as a potent fertiliser, highly coveted by vineyard and orchard owners. Additionally, it found use in the tanning of leather. And can be found in Sibthorpe, Nottinghamshire, England. RuralHistoria
Dovecotes One Thousand Years of History
A bigger deal than I knew.