Monument record MHG56980 - WWI rigging house - Invergordon shore

An unroofed building was taken over by the Admiralty in WWI and was used as a rigging house.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. A building to the east of the Ferry Slip on the shore is depicted on the 1st edition OS map, but was unroofed on the 2nd edition map (surveyed 1902). On a WWI Naval plan in private collection, a long building at this location had been taken over by the Admiralty, and is labelled Rigging House. A postcard dating to around WWI shows a wooden single-storey building, with a lean to timber section facing the Ferry Slip. The building was still there in the 1930 and 1947 aerial photographs. On an Admiralty plan of 1921 (MPI 1/651/4), the building on this site is labelled Ferry Offices and Waiting Room, but they are still shaded, suggesting they belong to the Navy. <1>

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. <2>