Monument record MHG22712 - Bath House (site), Strathpeffer

This was the principal Pump Room, which was demolished in 1950. The site is now occupied by 3 octagonal buildings incorporating the local Tourist Office, a Water Sampling Room and public toilets, all built some time between 1985 and 1991.

The plans shown in photographs C12932 and C12980/CN (from the survey of plans lent for copying in June 1993 by Mr Mike Taylor) were found in a derelict estate office on the Castle Leod estate. The material relates to two periods of alteratioon work carried out at Castle Leod, for the Earl of Cromartie-the first in 1851 by Andrew Maitland, who adapted designs by David Bryce, the second in 1904, when the north wing, previously altered in 1874, was mostly rebuilt. The material also relates to the nearby Inchvannie Farm Steading, and the pump room at Strathpeffer Spa, which were both owned by the Castle Leod estate.

The Lower Pump Room appears on the OS 1st edition map (1876), but had become a much larger complex by the time the map was revised in 1906 for the 2nd edition. The Pump Room also housed a bath house and treatment rooms. It had become very dilapidated and was demolished in 1950 (Murray 1985). It was replaced in 1987 by the present buildings, built by Ross and Cromarty District Council and designed by Dave Somerville. After demolition, the Clock face from the old Pump Room was taken and put into Fodderty school, and when the school moved to Strathpeffer, the clock was removed there. Some of the Pump Room’s doors were brought up to Newhouse croft on the Heights after demolition.

Information from Fiona Newton; Duncan Finlayson; Neil Macdonald; Margaret Scott, ARCH Remembering Strathpeffer project, 2011.

Murray, D., 1985. Victorian Strathpeffer. A walk around this unique highland village. Inverness



Information from Fiona Newton; Duncan Finlayson; Neil Macdonald; Margaret Scott, ARCH Remembering Strathpeffer project. <1>