Building record MHG8770 - Former Town Hall - 56 High Street, Invergordon

The Invergordon Town Hall building dating to 1871. It is now in use as an arts centre.

The building was listed at Category B in 1983.

W.C. Joass, 1871. Additions and alterations, Alexander Ross and Son, 1934. Italianate. 2-storey, 3-bay façade. Slightly advanced pedimented centre bay with round-headed keystoned and pilastered centre entrance with fanlight and panelled double leafed door, linked by moulded string course to flanking windows with similar details, corniced cills and panelled aprons. Segmental headed pediment above centre door. Round-headed keystoned tripartite in centre, 1st floor; flanking shell headed windows; dentilled and moulded eaves cornice. Relief carving of Neptune with cornucopia in pediment; blocking course with end and centre decorative urns.

Statement of Special Interest from Listed Building Report:

The former Invergordon Town Hall is a good example of its type, making effective use of the Italianate detailing. Its compact and well-proportioned principal elevation adds greatly to the interest of the streetscape. Davidson of Inverness sculpted the relief carving of Neptune with cornucopia, also in 1871. The building was converted into a cinema by the Invergordon Picture House Company in 1934 by Alexander Ross and Son to seat 500. It was occasionally used for bingo from the late 60s and stopped showing films in 1984. Converted for use as an Arts Centre in 1988.

The building was investigated in 2015 as part of the ARCH project 'Invergordon in World War I'. The Town Hall did show some films in WWI in 1916 (Hornsey, n.d.). Some sources believe that the Town Hall was taken over by the Ministry during WWI, but military plans do not indicate this. However, it is likely that some activities took place in the building, including showing of films. In the 1950s seating was reduced to c. 399. Some of the stonework is currently (2015) in near of repair. <1> <2>