Tounigar, 22, Shore Street, Kirkwall

2-storey, 2-bay rectangular-plan asymmetrical crowstepped gabled house with tall stacks and gabled end to street. Harled; exposed roughly course rubble to S elevation. Windows to N elevation blocked.N (SHORE STREET) ELEVATION: window at each floor in bay to right. Window at 1st floor in bay to left; gablehead stack above.E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: architraved and corniced doorway at ground in bay to centre; small window at 1st floor above. Window at each floor in bay to left.S ELEVATION: raised central flue with extended gablehead stack above. Window at ground, set close to flue, in bay to left. Small-pane fixed timber-framed windows to E; rooflights to E pitch. Modern felt-tiled roof; tall, harled, cornice stack to N; rubble stack with tall brick extension to S; uPVC rainwater goods (some remnants).INTERIOR: not seen, 1998.

Lies empty in the curtilage of the BP depot. Traditionally sited with its crowstepped gabled elevation to the street, this building stands in one of the oldest parts of Kirkwall. Its small windows and tall stacks are indications of its early date.(Historic Scotland)

1996: SCT understands the house has remained vacant for many years, with its condition subsequently deteriorating although its basic structure remains sound. The interior has reportedly been gutted apart from the floor and ceiling structures. 2 May 1996: The Orcadian reports the local councillors have refused British Petroleum permission to demolish the house. Objections were received from SCT, the Orkney Heritage Society, and from local residents. It is pointed out that the house performs an important function is screening the tanks of the oil station from the road. There has been talk of British Petroleum relocating the station to Scapa, although this appears to have been dismissed. February 1998: SCT receives information that British Petroleum has lost its appeal against the decision. An application to make the building wind and watertight has recently been submitted, but there remain no plans for its long-term future. December 1999: SCT understands the house is now watertight. March 2000: Local planners confirm that there are still no proposals for the house's future. March 2003: Listed Building Consent is granted for repairs and consolidation works, although the house's long-term future remains unclear. July 2004: External inspection reveals that some works have been undertaken and the exterior now appears in reasonable condition.

August 2009: External inspection suggests that the building is in reasonable condition. However, several of the windows are without glazing. The building is therefore not wind and watertight.

9 September 2013: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as the previous site visit - generally sound but the lack of window glazings means it remains open to the elements.

30 December 2013: The boundary of the Kirkwall Conservation Area has been proposed for extension and would potentially include Tounigar. Orkney Council has secured £1.2 million of funding from Historic Scotland for a Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) in Kirkwall. A further £1.625 million has been earmarked by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the regeneration of Kirkwall’s historic town centre through a Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme (THI). More detailed plans for the THI funding will be submitted to the HLF in early 2014 and, if successful, the combined scheme would start in the summer of 2014 and run for 5 years until 2019. Orkney Islands Council would be contibuting £600,000 towards the combined scheme, bringing the entire fund to £3.425 million.

4 March 2024: Desk-based assessment suggests building remains At-Risk.