Telford House West, Neptune's Staircase, Banavie Locks, Caledonian Canal

Telford House West is an early 19th-century lock keeper's house at Neptune's Staircase on the Caledonian Canal near Banavie. Built circa 1808–11 to house the lock keeper and around 30 workers who constructed this series of locks, it is now divided into two properties.

The building is a two-storey, five-bay symmetrical structure with white harled walls and contrasting black-painted raised ashlar margins. A distinctive feature is the wide, roofed, three-bay projecting curved bow front facing the canal on the west side. The house has a base course and eaves course with deep overhanging eaves, and slate hanging has been applied to the south-west gable, probably for extra protection against prevailing west winds. The windows are predominantly six-over-six-pane timber sash and case, and the roof is grey slated with a large central eight-can chimney stack.

The entrance doors to both properties are on the west side, unusual as most canal buildings have their principal entrances facing the canal. The curved bay front is particularly notable, understood to be unique among lock keepers' houses on the Caledonian Canal, reflecting a more fashionable design approach than the simpler single-storey cottages typical of Scotland's canal architecture.

The interior, seen in 2013, retains narrow curved staircases, some timber fire surrounds, and four-panel timber doors, though alterations have been made. The property is situated immediately beside the canal and has retained its connection to it. The house originally had a large garden, common to lock keepers' houses, allowing space to grow vegetables and keep poultry and animals.

The building has been little altered externally and notably retains its unbroken roofline, distinctive central chimney stack, and traditional glazing pattern. The house is an important and unusual structure in domestic canal architecture because of its scale and quality of design detail, reflecting the significance of Neptune's Staircase itself. This is the longest staircase lock in Britain, consisting of eight locks and nine lock gates, constructed between 1809 and 1811. Originally nicknamed Neptune's Staircase by its builders, it required many lock keepers to operate smoothly and safely; it was mechanised during the 20th century.

The Caledonian Canal as a whole is a Scheduled Monument of national importance to Scotland. The canal, designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1822, connects Inverness to Corpach near Fort William by linking four lochs. At 60 miles total length with only 22 miles man-made, it was built to accommodate sea-going ships including Royal Navy frigates, making it a great feat of engineering for its time. Though never a commercial success, the canal became popular with passenger steamers and tourism increased following Queen Victoria's visit in 1873. The canal was part of a wider Highland infrastructure initiative to provide employment during the period of the Highland Clearances.

A previous listing record from 1971 noted the house was built in 1815 and designed by Thomas Telford, but there is currently no documentary evidence to support this attribution.