RS Miller Roofing recreates a Georgian stately home – for the birds.

A topping out ceremony has been carried out to mark the creation of a dovecote with a capacity for 1,500 birds at Chillington Hall near Brewood in Staffordshire.

The impressive bird house was built by RS Roofing of Brierley Hill, in Dudley. It is the latest stage of a remarkable restoration of the house and its grounds.

Mike Stevenson, Contracts Director for Miller Roofing’s Heritage Division, said: “This was a very special project for us. It is a great pleasure to be able to bring such a wonderful building back to life at Chillington Hall.

“The Giffard family wanted to ensure the dovecote was built using traditional materials and traditional skills and that is just what our craftsmen have done. They have used techniques that the original builders would have instantly recognised.”

RS Miller Roofing has been contracted by the Giffard family, which owns Chillington Hall, to carry out a number of roofing restoration projects on the site.

Notably, it led the work to recreate the Sloane Saloon, with a central oval dome and lantern, which won the prestigious Sotherby’s and Historic Houses Restoration Award in 2009.

In this latest stage of the project, a replica of an octagonal Georgian dovecote, that had stood on top of an octagonal building in the hall’s service courtyard in the early 1730s, was created by RS Miller Roofing’s craftsmen, working closely with Horsley Huber Architects, in Stafford.

The two tonne structure, which is made from unseasoned English oak and took seven months to construct, was craned into place at the end of April.

On Friday May 21, a traditional topping out ceremony was held. Tracey Hill, from Natural England, which provided a grant for the work, was among guests invited to lay the final tiles on the dovecote roof.

Chillington Hall owner John Giffard said: “My father took down the original dovecote 30 to 40 years ago as it had become unsafe. This new one is a perfect replica but is now made entirely of hard wood, so will last even longer.

“This project is an important part of our plans for Chillington Hall which will include a new education block so children can come here to see and learn how farming has developed over the centuries.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Natural England for the generous support and expertise. None of this would happen without them.”

Mr Giffard’s wife, Crescent, laid a bunch of yew in the roof. Placing an evergreen plant in the roof of a new building is traditionally considered to bring good luck.

Mr Giffard says they now plan to obtain tumbling pigeons to live in the new dovecote.