Statement of Special Interest
The early 19th century lock keeper's house at Gairlochy is an important, unusual structure in domestic canal architecture because of its scale and quality of design and detail. It sits within its own grounds in a secluded area on the east side of the Caledonian canal, with the principal elevation facing the canal. The design of the house, with the prominent 3-bay curved bay is very unusual for a lock keepers' house and is understood to be unique to the Caledonian Canal. There are three similar listed houses on this canal. The property has been little altered externally or internally and is notable for retaining its unbroken roofline and its distinctive central stack and its traditional glazing pattern.
The majority of the domestic architecture on Scotland's canals is of a more simple design than this house and often consists of a single story cottage, with perhaps a later extension to the rear. This building reflects a more fashionable approach to design, in incorporating 2 storeys, wide bays and large, multi-pane windows.
The house is situated immediately on the canal side and therefore retains its original connection to the canal. Internally the layout of the public rooms and bedrooms in the house is little altered and many of the fire surrounds survive.
The whole of the Caledonian Canal is a Scheduled Monument which identifies it as being of national importance to Scotland. For this section of the Caledonian Canal see Scheduled Monument No 5294.
Thomas Telford, who was the principal engineer for the canal, is thought to have stayed at this property on some of his trips to visit the canal's construction. The bowed room on the first floor is named Telford's Room, and the windows in this room would have had good views along the canal in both directions.
Jean Lindsay notes in her book The Canals of Scotland, that the Commissioners' Report for the canal of 1812-13 mentions that a house and stables has been built to accommodate horses and men working on the locks at Gairlochy. This would date the property to around 1811-13, when the locks were being constructed. The workers for the canal were originally housed in turf huts with stone houses being built later. After the canal was built, the house became the lock keeper's house.
The primary role of a lock keeper was to maintain and operate the locks and the cottages and houses were constructed adjacent to them for convenience. Cottages were usually single storey with accommodation comprising of a living room and a bedroom. This property is unusual in being much larger in size. It does, however, have a large garden, which was common in that the lock keeper could grow vegetables and keep poultry and animals. An enterprising lock keeper and his family might well have supplemented their income with the tourist trade by offering refreshment, produce & locally made gifts for the visitors.
The previous listed building record written in 1971 noted that the Canal House was built in 1815 and designed by Thomas Telford. At the time of writing there is not documentary evidence to support this.
The Caledonian Canal is one of five canals surviving in Scotland but is unique among them as being the only one entirely funded by public money. The canal was part of a wider infrastructure initiative across the Highlands to facilitate trade and the growth of industry and, most importantly for the Government, to tackle the emigration problem resulting from the Highland Clearances, by providing much-needed employment. The experienced engineer Thomas Telford submitted a report in 1802 to Government commissioners which detailed the route and size of the canal. The canal connects Inverness in the north to Corpach, near Fort William in the west, by linking four lochs: Loch Dochfur, Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. The total length of the canal is 60 miles, but only 22 miles are man-made.
Built to take sea-going ships, including the 32-gun and 44-gun frigates of the Royal Navy, the Caledonian Canal was designed on a much larger scale than other canals in Britain and the locks were the largest ever constructed at that time. This combined with the remoteness of the location and the variable ground conditions, make it a great feat of engineering and construction.
Telford was appointed principal engineer to the commission with William Jessop as consulting engineer. Although work began in 1804 rising costs and the scale of the project resulted in slow progress and the first complete journey was made on 23-24 October 1822. Whilst the Canal was constructed for commercial use it was never a commercial success. Since its opening it was beset by problems and had to be closed for repairs and improvements in the 1840s. However the canal became popular with passenger steamers with tourism increasing following a visit by Queen Victoria on 16 September 1873.
Previously listed as 'Caledonian Canal, Gairlochy, Canal House'.
Statutory address and listed building record updated as part of the Scottish Canals Estate Review, (2013-14).