Red Herring House, Former Fish Curing Yard, Shore Street, Helmsdale

1817,built as a fish curing yard.3 ranges in long flat-fronted block,centre range in neglected condition,with rear courtyard.originally offices,cooperage and red-herring house erected near the harbour by marquess of stafford.name suggests later use as customs house and warehouses;currently house and stores (1991),one store recently restored.2-storey 3-bay house,with 2 large buildings adjoining to E,separated from quayside by road.

customs house:(left-hand range) originally office,kitchen and accommodation.2-storey,3-bay house,dry-dash with ashlar margins.panel above,enlarged windows flanking at ground,3 windows at 1st floor;plate glass sashes.purple slates,3 skylights to attic,coped skews,corniced stacks.low dry-dashed front garden wall with pair of panelled ashlar gatepiers. rear:stair window,to right large lean-to;former cellar and store.later lean-to adjoining rubble wall of former outbuilding,and modern harled wall subdividing former courtyard,adjoining store to E beyond pend to give vehicle access to rear. centre range:large,rendered 2-storey store adjoining to right (E); former cooperage.2-storey, now flat-roofed in corrugated sheet metal.originally 7-bay,some openings altered/blocked;door and 3 windows at ground floor with original vehicle pend to outer left.rubble at rear,5-bay,most openings now blocked;2 boarded windows in use at 1st floor.

range to right (E) store:former red-herring house,recently restored as dwelling house,skews and stacks removed.3-storey,3-bay,rubble,4-pane sash and case windows,grey slates.

front:no openings at ground floor;3 windows to floors above.

rear:3 doors at ground floor,3 windows to each floor above.rubble walls enclosing large cobbled,rear courtyard,originally lined by open curing sheds.