Description

1842; small flat-roofed extension late 20th century. Interesting survival of largely unaltered rural public house in vernacular single storey and attic, 3-bay, rectangular-plan dwelling sited adjacent to Bridge of Fiddich on raised ground overlooking terraced garden on river bank. Tiny bar retains original fittings by A & R Dunbar (see Notes) of circa 1920. Harled with deep set openings.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: front elevation to W comprising boarded timber door with 2-pane fanlight, windows in flanking bays and timber fascia board at left with 'FIDDICHSIDE INN'; 2 pedimented dormer windows breaking eaves at outer bays and small rooflight at centre. Later low, flat-roofed bay adjoining left gable and small lean-to outside toilet adjoining right.

INTERIOR: bar measuring 3 x 4.5 metres with cast iron fireplace and copper hood in timber surround, timber-boarding to dado, original panelled counter, simple 3-bay back gantry. Timber centre staircase running N-S (across house).

4-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows and top-opening to dormers at front elevation. Grey slates with tiled ridges. Coped harled stacks with cans and evidence of thackstanes. Ashlar-coped skews.

Statement of Interest

The Fiddichside Inn is a rare survivor, notable for its simplicity, connection to local tradesmen and important origins linking it to an era of profound change in the Highlands with the advent of the railway. The inn was taken over by the Smith family in 1919 and remains in the same family today (2008). The bar counter, which occupies almost half of the floor space in the bar, and gantry were made by A & R Dunbar at the nearby Popine mills which was demolished a few years ago.

Built as a refreshment room for railway builders, the inn is sited close to the junction of the River Fiddich and River Spey, across the Fiddich from the site of the former Craigellachie Junction and Auction Mart. Construction work involved building a viaduct (1857) across the River Spey. Opened in 1862, this section of line formed the junction of the Morayshire, Keith and Strathspey sections of the Great North of Scotland Railway.

A photograph dating from the turn of the century shows that what is now the bar end of the house was being run as a 'Refreshment Room', the windows had 12-pane glazing, and the door was 2-leaf.

This building was added to the statutory list in 2008 as part of a thematic resurvey of Scotland's historic public houses.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77780822

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
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  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)