Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The dovecote of the Castenet racetrack, located in Moissac (Tarn-et-Garonne, Occitanie), dates from the 16th century. This historic monument, also known as a dovecote, appeared in the form of a brick pavilion resting on four stone columns. It was integrated into the courtyard of the Castanet farmhouse, along Vicinal Road No. 5. Its architecture reflected the rural construction techniques of the time, mixing noble materials like stone and more common elements like brick.

The building experienced a decline marked by its collapse, leading to the disappearance of its constituent elements. Originally protected by an order to register for Historic Monuments in 1947, this protection was repealed in 2014, formalizing the permanent loss of the monument. Available sources, such as the Merimée and Monumentum base, confirm its approximate location at 1181 Chemin de Saint-Nicolas de la Grave, without specifying the causes of its ruin.

In modern times, dovecotes played an economic and symbolic role in agriculture. They were used to raise pigeons, a source of meat and fertilizer, while marking the social status of landowners. In the southwest, these buildings were often associated with farmhouses or farms, such as Castanet. Their gradual disappearance reflects changes in agricultural practices and the abandonment of some traditional rural structures.

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