West chamber, view from North West

Description West chamber, view from North West

Date 13/5/1998

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number D 31658

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 757481

Scope and Content West chamber from north-west, Ice House, Cluny Castle, Highland This shows the interior of the west chamber of the ice house where ice would have been stored. The hole in the wall was most likely a chute used to drop ice into the chamber and the vaulted ceiling supported a layer of soil which kept the ice store well insulated from the weather. The ice house was probably built in the early 19th century. Ice houses were underground or semi-subterranean masonry structures which were filled with ice and sealed during the winter. The ice was removed as needed during the summer and used for preserving food, cooling drinks and for medicinal purposes. The ice houses would be emptied and cleaned during the autumn. Cluny Castle was built in 1805 for the Macphersons of Cluny and stands on the site of an earlier castle which was destroyed by fire in 1746. William Laidlaw Carruthers, Inverness, designed the north-west wing and the Queen Anne Revival-style porch c.1890. Many of the estate buildings were also built when the castle was rebuilt, including gate lodges, stables, meal mill, saw mill and walled gardens. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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