Monument record MHG21245 - North of Scotland Bank, 64 High Street, Invergordon

Formerly the North of Scotland Bank, designed by Andrew Maitland. Plans and elevation drawings dating to the 1870s survive. <1>

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. A wartime plan in private collection shows that this building was taken over in WWI by the Admiralty to become the S.C.E. (Superintending Civil Engineer) Office. It was formerly the North of Scotland Bank for which plans and elevation drawings dating to the 1870s survive (see Canmore record for details). An unsightly extension in front now (2015) obscures the front details. On an Admiralty plan of 1921 (MPI 1/651/4), this building is labelled Works Dept. Offices. <2>

At least three versions of a WWI Naval plan survive, two in private collection which probably date to wartime, and one in the National Archives (MPI 1/641/4) which dates to 1921. On all three the buildings taken over or built by the Navy are shaded, but there are a few discrepancies between the plans. One of the plans in private collection has enlarged details, but only shows the Admiralty buildings and not others in the town. Valuation Rolls also indicate some buildings not shaded on our plans were taken over by the military. It is clear from contemporary photographs that the army built additional buildings, particularly north of Cromlet Drive. <3>