Monkton Windmill, Ayrshire

Monkton is a vaulted tower mill, a mill type that is rare in the UK outside Scotland The first record of the Monkton Windmill is 1773 and it was converted into a dovecote with fire-clay nesting boxes and a potence in the early 19th century. In 1971 the windmill was given a Grade A Listing. The tower was known locally in the 19th century by the Scots term 'Dooket'. Dovecotes or 'Doocots' were a feature of most country estates and Orangefield was no exception. Such buildings provided a valuable source of fresh meat and eggs, adding variety to meals in the winter months. The large amounts of droppings, which built up on the doocot's floors, made a valuable general fertiliser and was also used…

The mill has a slated conical roof surmounted by a probable weather vane in the form of a running fox or dog. The east facing door is not bricked up unlike the west facing door, the position of which is only visible in outline. The vault is in good condition except at the original external entrance, however it is substantially infilled with earth and stones. Two small windows remain with a single larger one facing south. No remnants of the windmill machinery survive and the pigeon nest boxes have been removed although several visible square stones may represent elements of nesting holes. The mill clearly stands on a substantial stone platform.