A granite chamber and black-tarred shed preserve a compact piece of the cold-storage infrastructure once needed by the coastal salmon trade.
Quick facts
- Date
- 19th century
- Architect / designer
- Designer and builder unrecorded
- Type
- Granite icehouse with timber shed
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB3070)
- OS grid reference
- NK 09334 35827
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
An arched granite-rubble chamber extends for roughly nine metres. A timber shed coated in black tar stands above it, combining an insulated below-ground space with a simple protective superstructure.
Its story
The icehouse was built during the nineteenth century for the Port Erroll salmon station. It allowed caught fish to be stored cool before onward transport, linking the bay’s natural resources with commercial distribution.
Why it is included
Category C listing protects a specialised and increasingly uncommon building type that makes the practical organisation of nineteenth-century coastal fishing visible.
What to notice
- The arched granite chamber.
- The contrasting dark timber shed above.
- How the structure uses the slope and ground for insulation.
Reading the surroundings
Do not assume the structure or surrounding ground is publicly accessible. View only from lawful routes, keep clear of doors and work areas, and never enter the chamber without permission.
Timeline
- 19th century A purpose-built chamber supported commercial salmon handling at Port Erroll.
- 1971 National listing recognised the industrial structure.
- 2026 review No reliable evidence of an active cold-storage use was found.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The precise construction date, capacity, ownership history and present internal condition remain unverified.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Port Erroll Salmon Station Icehouse, LB3070 — Designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB3070 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NK 09334 35827 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; the public text separately states access and any current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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