Willington Dovecote & Stables

Willington Dovecote & Stables is a National Trust property located in Willington, near Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

The property is a 16th-century stable and stone dovecote, which contains nesting boxes for over 1500 pigeons.

The dovecote and stables themselves were commissioned by Sir John Gostwick, the Earl of Gostwick. Completed in around 1541, they were made from the remains of a manorial complex, and include stones most likely taken from local priories, in particular, Newnham Priory, after the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

A signature on the stone above the fireplace in the stables reads "John Bunyan", but its authenticity has not been proven.

External links

* [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-willingtondovecote/ Willington Dovecote & Stables information at the National Trust]