Monument record MHG29834 - Icehouse, Invergarry

Close by but outside and to SW of walled garden. Substantially underground with domed roof. Date unknown but mansion built 1866-69, walled garden known to be operational by 1871 so date of construction probably thereabouts. Access now securely closed for safety.
H M Rogers, Invergarry, 1998.

Architect plans drawn by William Paterson, Architects of Inverness dated 1874 survive, suggesting the icehouse was built shortly thereafter. Marion Ellice, now deceased, told the current owner that when she was young the ice from the icehouse was not used for preserving food, but for making ice-cream and sherbert and for chilling the drinks.

The plans clearly show the care taking in building the icehouse, including tile floor drainage pipes leading to a cesspool. They called for the ground to be excavated to produce an underground, double-walled, domed chamber, stone-built, lined and covered with a 3 foot earth mound. The entrance passage, facing NE, had 3 sets of doors, with approximately 10 feet between the 2 outer doors. The outer door was further sheltered by a small stone lintel and curved wing walls to north and south. There is a levelled area between the door and the driveway sufficent to allow for carts to load or unload stocks of ice.

Today the site is now overgrown with vegetation and surrounded by trees. The mound is clearly visible and does not appear to be disturbed. There is no evidence to show that the southern wall extended as far as shown on the original architect's plan. The domed face of the building and wingwalls are of dressed sandstone, now covered in moss and vegetation. All three doors are missing. A hinge in the outer wall and site of fixings on the inner walls show their original location. The smooth inner lining of the passage walls and ceiling, though cracked, are in surpringly good condition. A small step markes the site of the inner door. <1>