Contributors | Groups | Visitors | Links Search using a single word like 'church'
 

Picture No 8. Courtesy of Tain & District Museum.
Year: 1890
Catalogue No. 2541.2

  Add to my album   

The old toll house

This is the toll house on the A9 just to the south of Tain. It was built in the early 19th century as the collection point for the toll on this section of the road north from Inverness. It is an attractive building which at the time of the photograph had a well kept garden and a decorative fence separating it from the road. Following re-alignment, the road is now some distance away from the toll house and on its other side. The toll house itself is tucked away in the Roads Department depot.
Picture added on 29 January 2004.

Comments

My grandparents (Alexander and Anne Holmes) moved into the Toll House c 1920 with their family(John, Cathy, Nan & Alice) ...and my late mother, Christina Mary was born there in 1920. There was only a well so they got water installed, also built porches at front and rear. The house was owned by the Council and my grandfather worked for the council.He died c 1951 so my grandmother moved out to stay with Cathy in Invergordon. the house then was lived in by another council worker I believe.
As a child I can remember a stream at the back and fetching eggs from their chickens.
I have a photograph taken c 1931 of the same view so I can email this some time.
I would like more information c the house please.
Added by Deirdre Willans on 26 August 2005.

Thanks Deirdre for that very interesting information about the Toll House. We would certainly welcome a copy of your photo. I am not sure what type of information you would like about the house. We don't have anything about what it was like inside. I can only say that it has not been used as a house for quite some time but as a store and a place for making a cup of tea etc by the council workers. The surroundings are now a bit messy and the building has deteriorated a bit. We do have a photo taken a few years ago which I can send you if you wish.
Added by Margret Urquhart, Tain Through Time on 26 August 2005.

I have seen this house, yes its in a bit of a state now...I always wondered what it was, I thought it might have been some sort of small cottage or Toll House but being in the depot I thought it cannot be. Sadly all that remains of it is the house, the lovely ornamental fence and garden has been flattened many years ago. Its hard to believe that it was on the edge of the road, now its some distance from the road and appears totally unrelated
Added by Daryl on 27 May 2006.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.
We're particularly interested in your memories of the things shown, the people who lived there and any folklore.
General comments about the site should be added at the bottom of the home page.

Comments

Your name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.

 
Part of Tain Through TimeSystem created by Plexus Media Ltd