Discover Tealing: Church, Dovecot and Kinpurney Hill

Tealing offers two clear focal points for planning: historic buildings and the walk to Kinpurney Hill. The former parish church, the dovecot and the earth house represent ecclesiastical and archaeological heritage; the route to the summit leads from Tealing into open hill country. Depending on your interests, you can focus on the buildings’ history or the landscape walk.

Church and Dovecot

The former Tealing Parish Church in Kirkton of Tealing, including its churchyard, is listed as a Category A building. This means that the designation covers the churchyard as well as the church building. The Tealing Dovecot represents a different type of building. A dovecot is a pigeon house and is considered an unusual example dating from the late 16th century. While the church and its churchyard are designated as a unit, the dovecot’s function and historical period give it its particular significance. These offer different points of interest for a cultural history visit to Tealing.

Tealing Earth House

A short walk leads to the remains of the Tealing Earth House. The walls contain reused stones bearing Bronze Age rock carvings. The archaeological interest therefore extends beyond the structure’s form: the stones themselves bear their own traces, visible in the carved motifs. The remains also include an excavated, curved underground passage dating from the Iron Age. The distinction between the periods helps to put the site in context: the rock carvings are Bronze Age, while the passage belongs to the Iron Age structure. Two different archaeological periods can thus be encountered at one destination.

Walk to Kinpurney Hill

The walk to the summit of Kinpurney Hill starts in Tealing and initially follows an old mill lade before leading into open hill country. Kinpurney Tower is visible for most of the walk, serving as a landmark along much of the route. From the summit, the walk offers fine views in every direction. These views depend on the weather, and trail conditions can also vary. Check the weather and trail conditions before setting out if you plan to do the walk.

The main difference between the two walks is the type of destination: the short walk to the Earth House leads to archaeological remains, while the route to Kinpurney Hill continues to the summit and into open hill country. The first option centres on walls, carvings and a passage; the second is shaped by the route, the visible tower and the weather-dependent views. You can choose the focus that interests you most.

Practical planning

Limited parking is available in the farmyard beside Tealing Dovecot. Check the conditions before travelling. This is particularly useful to know if the dovecot is part of your plans; for the hill walk, you should also take changing trail conditions into account.

Discover more destinations: Edzell, Bridgend Of Lintrathen, Carnoustie, Tarfside, Inverkeilor, Kinnaird, Monifieth, Glamis.

For an overview of the wider area: Angus.