Invergordon (/ˌɪnvərˈɡɔːrdən/; Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Ghòrdain or An Rubha) is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.[2] It lies in the parish of Rosskeen.
| Invergordon | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Invergordon Location within the Ross and Cromarty area | |
| Population | 3,930 (2022)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NH715685 |
| • Edinburgh | 125 mi (201 km) |
| • London | 456 mi (734 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | INVERGORDON |
| Postcode district | IV18 |
| Dialling code | 01349 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
History
edit
The town built up around the harbour which was established in 1828.[3] The area became a police burgh in 1863[4] and Invergordon Town Hall was completed in 1871.[5]
The Invergordon Grain Distillery, operated by Philippines-owned whisky giant Whyte & Mackay, was established in 1959.[6] Connected to the distillery was the Invergordon Distillery Pipe Band which was formed in 1964.[7]
In 1971, the British Aluminium Company, which was 47% owned by Reynolds Metals, opened an aluminium smelter at Invergordon.[8]
Naval base
editThe naval institute was designed in 1914 by Edinburgh architect Stewart Kaye in anticipation of the First World War.[9] The naval base was the venue for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931.[10] Remains of the naval base are evidenced in the tank farm lying behind the town centre; the port used to contain fuel oil and water supplies for naval ships (see Inchindown oil tanks).[11]
One German bomb hit one of the tanks during the Second World War when a large flying boat base occupied much of the northerly coast of the Cromarty Firth.[12] The naval base closed in 1956[13] (though the Oil Fuel Depot was retained in service until 1991).[14] On 27–28 May 1957 the Royal Navy held a fleet review in the waters off the town.[15]
Since 1978, the former naval base has been used as a deep water port which has been visited by many large cruise liners and allows disembarkation for coach tours in the northern Highlands.[16] In the summer of 2017, the port was visited by the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth during her sea trials.[17] On 19 June 2021 the last of the Batch-2 River-class offshore patrol vessels, HMS Spey, was commissioned at a ceremony at the former naval base. The Royal Marines Band Service was at the ceremony providing musical support.[18]
Culture
editInvergordon is now the premier mural town of the Highlands and hopes to emulate the success of her mentor in Chemainus, British Columbia. Currently the town is adorned with a series of 17 murals. The paintwork created by a selection of artists tells the stories of the local community and the area. This trail is a result of a community project which was initially designed to integrate local community groups (17 in total took part). The trail, which was opened by the Princess Royal, now acts as a major tourist draw.[19]
Infrastructure
edit
The town is served by Invergordon railway station which lies on the Far North Line, and is in close proximity to the A9 trunk road.
As of 2012, there is a controversial scheme for a waste incinerator at the Cromarty Firth Industrial Park in Invergordon, which the Scottish government are now reviewing following protests by the local community. The £43 million plant would be built by Combined Power and Heat (Highlands) Ltd.[20]
Education
editInvergordon has one secondary school, Invergordon Academy, which is fed by four primary schools, Newmore Primary School, Park Primary School, South Lodge Primary School and Milton Primary School.
In 2013 the Highland Council announced plans for a new "super school" to serve Ross-shire with the preferred option being that it be built in Invergordon. This has seen much protest by locals and is currently under review. If it went ahead Alness and Tain academies would close and there would also be a change to the local primary schools.
In popular culture
editIn Season 3 of Amazon Prime motoring series The Grand Tour, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond visited Invergordon as part of their journey along the NC500.[21]
Notable residents
edit- Jimmy Andrews, footballer
- Robert Brough. painter
- John D. Burgess, piper
- Allan Cameron, curler
- Bryan Gunn, footballer
- James MacBain, Australian politician
- Rob MacLean, football commentator
- Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Julian Robertson Oswald
- Cheryl Paul, newsreader
- Sir Charles Ross, inventor of the Ross Rifle
- William Ramsay Smith, doctor and activist for Indigenous Australian rights
- David Sutherland, comic book artist and illustrator best known for illustrating comic strips in The Beano such as The Bash Street Kids from 1962 until his death in 2023 and Dennis the Menace and Gnasher from 1970–1998.[22]
- Luke Stoltman, five-time winner of Scotland's Strongest Man, 2021 Europe's Strongest Man
- Tom Stoltman, brother of Luke Stoltman, winner of the competition for 3 times, 2021, 2022 and 2024
References
edit- ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ Gittings, Bruce; Munro, David. "Invergordon". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Invergordon, Shore Road, Harbour (14499)". Canmore. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Invergordon Burgh". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "High Street, former Town Hall and Playhouse Cinema (LB35077)". Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ^ "Invergordan Distillers". Scotch Whisky. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "44 Years Ago". ross-shirejournal.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ^ Lee, John M. (29 May 1971). "British Aluminum Debut Faces World Glut". The New York Times Company.
- ^ "Stewart Kaye". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "The Invergordon Mutiny of 1931". Sea Your History. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ McKenzie, Steven (8 August 2011). "Return to Highlands' Inchindown secret tunnels". BBC Scotland. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- ^ "Memories of Invergordon in World War II" (PDF). 16 April 2017. p. 18. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Invergordon". Undiscovered Scotland. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Naval Support Infrastructure (1991)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 16 July 1991.
- ^ "Queen And Duke Visit Home Fleet 1957". British Pathe. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Welcome to Invergordon: Gateway to the Highlands". Port of Cromarty Firth. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ Allison, George (15 January 2017). "MoD deny rumours that a new aircraft carrier will be mothballed". UK Defence Journal.
- ^ HMS SPEY Commissioned Into ROYAL NAVY 🌊 🚢, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 19 June 2021
- ^ "Invergordon Museum | Gallery". www.invergordonmuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ Scotsman article by Frank Urquart, 1 December 2012
- ^ "Jeremy Clarkson and Grand Tour co-hosts ridicule Scots town during NC500 road trip". 24 February 2019.
- ^ "Beano's Bash Street Kids artist David Sutherland dies". BBC News. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.