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Heritage classified

Origin and history

Crochepot is a 17th-century emblematic rural building located in the town of Hérisson, in the Allier department. This monument is distinguished by its imposing structure: a circular tower of six meters in diameter and height, with a dome of two meters fifty. The main opening, a pink sandstone dot with a molded pediment, adds a rare decorative element for this type of utility construction. The roof, without a frame, rests directly on the extrados of the vault, while a wooden campanile, supported by six ionic capital pillars, crowns the whole.

Since 1985, this dovecote was originally associated with the Crochepot mill, illustrating the economic and symbolic role of these buildings in the agricultural fields of the Ancien Régime. Pigeons, reserved for lords or landowners, served as both a food reserve (colombine was a precious fertilizer) and a social status marker. The wrought iron girouette, finished with a dove, recalls the primary function of the building, while emphasizing the care given to its aesthetics.

The Pigeon's location at 18 Rue Crochepot and its state of conservation allowed it to rank among the historical monuments of the Allier. The data from the Mérimée database confirm its address and cadastre (park AZ 260), while its architectural structure, combining functional simplicity and adorned details, makes it a remarkable witness to the bourbon countryside heritage. No information is available on any owners or craftsmen who participated in its construction.

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