Building record MHG57160 - C20 School and library - High Street, Invergordon

A C20 former school building in Invergordon, now used as a public library and council service point.

The building was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. Park Primary School was built in 1875, known as Invergordon Public School. By 1914 it was known as Invergordon Academy and had both primary and secondary pupils. This building does not appear on the 2nd edition OS map, but a building is depicted at this location on a WWI Naval plan in private possession. It was part of the school, for secondary pupils. Secondary pupils also occupied the building behind this one although that has been replaced by a modern gym. During WWI parts of the school were taken over by the military. These included use by the Seaforth Highlanders (the Territorial army), and the Ayrshire Battery before being posted abroad (Park School 1994, p. 69). In WWII the school was again taken over at times. The Navy used the Cromlet primary rooms and art room (the WWI hospital building), while lower classrooms including the present library and the building on the site of the gym were used by the RAF. The RAF also built a number of huts to the east of the school. Secondary pupils went to Dingwall by train, and older primary pupils to Alness for some of the war years (Park School 1992, p. 66). The façade facing High Street is unusual for buildings in the town. <1> <2> <3>

The building is currently (2015) the Public Library and Service Point.