Ice House, Portormin Harbour, Dunbeath

The site includes an 1892 harbour, a fishing store from the early to mid-19th century, and an early to mid-19th century ice house. The harbour is a projecting masonry pier constructed as an L-shaped basin, built of coursed rubble. This replaced the previous conditions described in the Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland (c.1858) which noted “The bay (Dunbeath) is an excellent fishing station.” Plans for the harbour, dated September 1892 and signed by James Fraser on 5 October 1892, show no pier or basin existed prior to that date.

The two-storey, five-bay fishing store faces south, with forestairs giving access to first-floor entrances in the east and west gables. The building is constructed of rubble with dressed rubble dressings. It has five entrances on the ground floor and regular fenestration above, with small windows in the second floor, all of which are shuttered. A further entrance is located in the centre of the east gable’s second floor, with evidence of a former hoist positioned above it. The roof is covered with corrugated asbestos.

The vaulted ice house is built into the hillside and is flanked by a high rubble retaining wall. The ice house is of rubble construction, with tooled rubble dressings, all whitewashed on the projecting, rounded south gable. It features a rounded, turfed roof. Internally, an ante chamber leads to the ice house proper, and the original door remains in situ.