Dovecote farm Wolvenhof

This farm "Wolvenhof" was originally a moated farm and existed as early as the mid-18^th century. The farm gave its name to one of the two castles in the nearby castle park Wallemote-Wolvenhof. The exact origin of the name “Wolvenhof” is unclear. A persistent story about a wolf that made its nest in the abandoned farm might be a recent invention. Long ago, sheep were indeed herded on and around the farm. Was perhaps a sheep once bitten to death, and then a wolf designated as the culprit? Or does the name have something to do with a family Dewulf, who lived right next to the farm in the early 20^th century?

The old farm underwent a thorough renovation and today houses a testing center of the company Poulpharm, which tests treatment methods, medication, and dietary patterns for poultry here. Very strict hygiene regulations apply; therefore, access to the yard and the buildings is prohibited to the public.

The dovecote in the middle of the yard probably dates from the 19^th century, was recently restored, and is currently in use as office space. In the Middle Ages, keeping pigeons was a privilege of the nobility and the clergy. The young pigeons were eaten, while the rich pigeon dung was used on the land. The pigeons found their food in the surrounding fields, which caused damage to the farmers' crops. The French Revolution abolished many privileges, allowing private individuals to keep pigeons as well. Racing pigeons are a whole different story, as they were used for military purposes for a long time. This is also why pigeon keeping is still strictly regulated by the government to this day. The pigeons that once inhabited this dovecote were likely mainly intended for pigeon dung and hobby.

Stad Izegem