Monument record MHG56996 - WWI Gyro House - Invergordon

A WWI Gyro House to the west of the Seabank Tank Farm in Invergordon. Subsequently used as a scout hut into the 1960s.

The site was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. On a WWI Naval plan in private possession a long building is labelled 'Gyro house'. It is a single storey timber building. It appears on the 1930 aerial photograph and also on WWII plans. Later it became the Scout hut, and was used into the 1960s. Currently this area is a car park. <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>