Tuesday 15 December 2015

The Pinnacle of Style.



This Pigeon tower, just behind our baker's shop, has always been a favourite of mine. I love the fact that it has at some time been painted blue, and I also love its pinnacle which is in the form of a bird; no doubt a Pigeon.


When building our pool's Pump House about 14 years ago, I tried to make the small building look as in keeping with local style as possible, and, amongst other features, I instructed a local potter to make me a pair of similar bird pinnacles.


My potter was young and reasonably inexperienced, but he produced what looked like a reasonable job. In fact they both soon broke as he hadn't connected the three main elements together properly, and winter frost got into them.

Anyway, with some fibreglass mastic, and a long ladder, they were soon fixed and are back in place, looking good.

Mine aren't as nice as the one atop the tower in my baker's village, but they do the job. 




36 comments:

  1. Oh dear, it looks a bit like a vulture to me !

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    1. They have very strange beaks, but the rest is OK.

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  2. Nice bird, it is its own self so therefore has a uniqueness which can't be replaced, much like its owner I should think.

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    1. A few years after I had them made, my neighbour decided he'd have one too, and bought a much bigger industrially made job. It looks ridiculous.

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    2. Pardon my language, but your neighbour sounds like a bit of a dick.

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  3. Too many pigeons round here, but yours looks nice on it's perch!

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    1. I wanted to put some Pigeon holes in the building, and have a few Doves. But Lady M put her foot down.

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    2. Doves are quite nice, but I suspect they make as much mess as pigeons. The pigeons will insist on bathing in my bird baths, and it turns the water a mucky, milky looking colour. They poo in them too!

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    3. The trouble with doves is the incessant miserable bloody cooing noise they make.

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  4. I love the towers. The church I am going to next week has this sort of tower, unusual for a Norfolk church. I will post a picture of it nearer the time.

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    1. That blue must have been amazing when freshly painted; I expect the locals must be pleased that it's mellowed. I look forward to seeing your pix.

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  5. I have pegeons here and it is a lot of mess, lady M is right.

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    1. And right by the pool maybe wasn't a good idea.

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  6. Mmm, pigeon holes and doves. Perhaps smattering of droppings? Love the building. Greetings, Jo

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    1. We used to have Peacocks.... I'll leave the mess to your imagination.

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  7. Little details, like the bird atop the tower make all the difference really don't they..such a lovely touch.

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  8. I regret to say that the Rock Doves/Pigeons that we have here and which are supposed to be a few of the remaining truly feral pigeons in the UK, are a nuisance par excellence. They sit on part of my roof and make an unholy mess everywhere and their mess degrades the roof tiles. However it does not detract from the beauty of the pigionnier in your pictures.

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    1. Pigeons used to be a very important part of the local diet. If you didn't have a pukka Pigeon tower, you had a few Pigeon holes at the end of a barn. Very tasty too.

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  9. Our pigeonnier (very similar to the photo)has become a wolery.

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    1. May I presume than a wolery is in fact an owlery?

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    2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  10. More photos of your hamlet please cro

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    1. This isn't our little commune, it's a few miles away. But I will put up some more local scenes some time.

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  11. And I like the idea that you tried in the first place Cro.

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    1. I've always liked the idea of a few white doves flying around.

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  12. Any personal touches like these I always love. I love gargoyles and familiars as well. Not much call for them in our 1950s home though!

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    1. As fellow artisans, it's normal that we purchase the works of our fellow craftsmen. I don't go much for industrial products.

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  13. Beautiful !
    In the photos you have posted of your pump house (or what I thought was your pump house) were lovely.
    The photos of the Pigeon Tower are wonderful. I second John's comment more photos of your hamlet please.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. I'll try to find some interesting locations.

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  14. I love the way the blue paint on the Pigeon Tower has mellowed and is distressed but then, I would, wouldn't I ?!!!!!
    I really like your bird Cro ...... it looks as if it has been there for years.
    Pigeons aren't my favourite bird in the garden and we have quite a few as the nest in our trees, then waddle about the garden, eating any bird food that has fallen out of the bird feeders !!!! ..... fat little buggers !!!! XXXX

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    1. We have plenty of Ring Doves (which I quite like). They hang around the chicken run, and as soon as I feed them they swoop down and join in the fun. I don't really begrudge them a little maize.

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  15. congratulations for supporting your local potter! did you give them any feedback about the breakage? could help them make better ones....

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