Raigmore House
Near Inverness in Scotland
Communications mast dating from the period when the estate was used by the RAF; the filter room bunker was in the mound behind the mast
Raigmore House is located in Inverness area
Raigmore House
Raigmore House
Location within Invernesshire
Coordinates57°28′54″N 4°11′57″W / 57.48158°N 4.19903°W / 57.48158; -4.19903
TypeRoyal Air Force station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In use1941-1943 (1943)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Garrison information
OccupantsNo. 14 Group RAF

Raigmore House was a country house in Raigmore, Inverness.

History

The house was designed by Archibald Simpson[1] and constructed for Lachlan Mackintosh of Raigmore, a merchant who had returned from Calcutta,[2] in about 1810.[3] On Lachlan Mackintosh's death in 1845, the estate passed to Aeneas Mackintosh, his son. The site was requisitioned for military use in June 1940 during the Second World War: the house itself became the officers mess for the headquarters of No. 14 Group RAF in 1941; the Operations Centre of No. 14 Group RAF was housed there in three buildings (Operations Room, Filter Room and Communications Centre), which were partially buried for protection, in a similar way to buildings for No. 9 Group RAF at RAF Barton Hall, No. 10 Group RAF at RAF Box, No. 11 Group RAF at RAF Uxbridge, No. 12 Group RAF at RAF Watnall and No. 13 Group RAF at RAF Newcastle.[4] Much of the remainder of the site was used to create an Emergency Hospital Service facility which evolved to become Raigmore Hospital.[5]

After No. 14 Group was disbanded in 1943, the house became the local headquarters for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.[3] Meanwhile, the filter room bunker was used by the Civil Defence Corps from 1958 and by the Royal Observer Corps from 1968; it was acquired by Highland Council for use as their emergency centre in 1988.[6] The operations room bunker and the communications centre bunker have both been demolished since the war.[6] The filter bunker is new classified as a Historic Listed Building.[7]

In 2016 the filter room bunker was put up for sale by the Highland Regional Council. It has moved into private hands and is now owned by CSP Partnership. Change of use planning permission has been applied for to allow part of the building to be developed as a private museum.[8]

The house itself was decommissioned in 1957 and demolished in 1965: that part of the site has since been redeveloped for housing.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Archibald Simpson". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Inverness Royal Academy: Raigmore medal". Ambaile. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Raigmore House, Inverness". Highland Council. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "Bunker mentality: The Cold War bunkers still in use". BBC. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "Diamond anniversary for Raigmore Hospital" (Press release). NHS Highland. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Site Name: Inverness - Highland Emergency Centre (Raigmore)". Subterranea Britannica. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "MHG20493 - The Bunker, King Duncan's Road, Inverness - Highland Historic Environment Record". her.highland.gov.uk.
  8. ↑ "19/01959/LBC". wam.highland.gov.uk.
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