Monument record MHG56997 - Boiler House and Compressor House - Invergordon

A Boiler House and Compressor House to the west of the Seabank Tank Farm in Invergordon.

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 building is depicted, with the northern part labelled 'Boiler House' and the southern part labelled 'Compressor House'. The boiler house is oriented east-west, and the compressor house north-south. They appear on an aerial photograph from WWI (visible southeast of the church, to the south of the Generating House), a 1930 aerial photograph, some WWII plans and a 1947 aerial photograph. Later plans and photos from the 1960s and 1970s show a larger boiler house to the east. 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>