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Port Edgar Barracks/ Naval Hospital
Date 16 July 2009
Event ID 912524
Category Management
Type Site Management
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/912524
Group of 1- and 2-storey red brick gabled barrack buildings with regular fenestration, arranged on narrow site either side of central access road. Concrete window cills and lintels. Predominantly small-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows (most windows boarded up 2006). Welsh slate roofs with terracotta ridge tiles. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Some decorative cast-iron street-lamp brackets attached to buildings.
Built in 1918 as the barrack accommodation for Port Edgar, which has considerable historical interest for its former use as a Royal Naval base for the servicing of Torpedo Boat Destroyers in the 1st World War and as a Minesweeping base in the 2nd World War. These buildings as a group stand as a rare and intact example of a naval barracks. Port Edgar was acquired by the Royal Navy in 1916, and was commissioned as HMS Columbine in 1917 for use as a Destroyer Base for the Grand Fleet. Unlike most ships, Destroyers were not self-supporting and required special servicing facilities that were provided at Port Edgar. This set of buildings were used as barracks until 1927, when the Navy temporarily moved out of the site. During the 1930s the barracks were used as holiday camp accommodation for poor families. Prior to the 2nd World War, it was decided to move the existing military hospital at Butlaw (situated a few hundred yards to the N) into the barracks. The 1938 operating theatre was built at this time. During the 2nd World War Port Edgar was commissioned as HMS Lochinvar and became the main minesweeping base in Scotland. It continued in use as the Royal Navy's training base for minesweeping until it closed in 1975. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)
