Ice-house, Inveraray Castle Policies

Circular. Rubble; domed; lined inside with brick. Earth floor. Entered from passage. (Historic Scotland)

In 1781 one of the vaults in the fosse casements around the castle was trialled as an ice-store but was found to be unsatisfactory, in 1785 Robert Mylne was consulted and sent the Duke a drawing of an ice-house adapted to the ground under the Fosse. Shortly after an expert, William Stothard, was brought to Invereray from Arrochar to advise how to build a detatched ice-house in the grounds. First stocked with ice in January 1786, the total cost, including the ice and a fee of tow guineas to Stothard, was £25 5s 71/2. Whether the ice-house was completed under Mylne's direction is not stated. (Ian G Lindsay and Mary Cosh)

June 2009: External inspection finds the icehouse, a substantial stone and brick igloo of unusual design overall in good condition, however there is deterioration of stone wallheads, possibly as a result of the vegetation which has established itself on the main roof.

19 September 2012: External inspection finds no significant change from the previous site visit. Vegetation on the roof and in the immediate footprint of the structure appear to have been cleared away.