The Guardhouse

Built in the Baronial style, The Cameron Barracks complex currently consists of 4 2-storey blocks enclosing 3 sides of the parade ground. The north-west and west blocks each have, at their centre, twin conical-roofed drum towers linked by a balcony above the round-arched entrance. The north-east block is surmounted by an asymmetrical clock-tower. There is, at north-east corner, a square-plan entrance tower forming the main gateway. The barracks was listed as Category: B on 21 May 1971

The Barracks owe their existence to the “Cardwell Reforms” of the Army of the latter part of the 19th century, when major changes were made to the Army in an effort to improve recruiting and to reorganise its structure into geographic areas.

When the War Office Committee assembled in 1876 to work out a plan for the territorial areas of Regiments, Inverness was selected as the site for the Depot of the Regiment to be based on the Militia Area of Inverness, Banff, Moray and Nairn. The site chosen for the barracks had been known since ancient times as Knockintinnel (Cnoc-an-tionail, Gaelic for 'The Rallying Hill'). A plateau above the shore, it afforded easy access to the town of Inverness but also stood above it like a sentinel.

Since about 1810, it had been the site of a tannery, at which the owner built a house which was known locally as 'The Hut of Health'.

In 1877 William MacDonald, contractor, Glen Urquhart, commenced construction on the site. The buildings were designed and built by Royal Engineers' Office (Edinburgh)

The red sandstone for the buildings was brought from the quarry at Tarradale on the Black Isle, which also provided the stone for most Inverness buildings during the 19th century, notably Inverness Castle and St Andrews Cathedral.

On 1 July 1881, under the Army Reorganisation Scheme announced earlier, Inverness-shire and Nairn became Regimental District No. 79, with the old 79th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders redesignated the 1st Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders as its line battalion, and the Highland Light Infantry Militia redesignated as the 2nd Battalion The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders as its Militia. The Inverness barracks, still under construction, was to become the Regimental Depot.

The rest of the Northern Highlands had became Regimental District No. 72 with the old 72nd Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders and the 78th Ross-shire Buffs amalgamated to form the 1st and 2nd Bns The Seaforth Highlanders, with a Depot at Fort George. Until Cameron Barracks was completed, QOCH shared Fort George with the Seaforths. Then on Friday 11 June 1886 the Cameron Depot moved by train from Ardersier to Inverness and occupied Cameron Barracks.

Under the Army reforms of 1908 the roles of the Militia and Depots were integrated. The Headquarters of the 3rd (Militia) Bn The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was moved from its old barracks in Telford Road up to Cameron Barracks where it was combined with the Depot, to become the 3rd (Special Reserve) Bn of the Camerons.

During the First World War the Barracks was choc-a-bloc with recruits being trained, so much so that the married quarters were also pressed into service used (the previous occupants being billeted elsewhere in Inverness) and the adjacent Millburn Distillery was also taken over by the Regiment.

Later in the war the Depot's task was as a reception station for recruits and for men returning wounded from the front. At war’s end it became demobilisation centre for the thousands of war-time Camerons returning to “civvy street”. Post-war the Depot’s role reverted to recruit training.

On the outbreak of World War II the Depot became an Infantry Training Centre, until in 1941 the Seaforth and Cameron ITCs were amalgamated at Fort George. Thereafter the Barracks were used by a variety of different units, including the Royal Navy.

In 1946 the Depot Camerons was re-established at Cameron Barracks, and in 1951 Training Company returned from the Highland Brigade Training Centre at Fort George. The Depot continued to train National Service recruits until 1959 and Regulars until 1960. Under the Army Reforms announced in 1957, Infantry Regimental Depots were to be abolished and replaced by Brigade Depots.

As part of the reduction in the Infantry, the Seaforth Highlanders were to be amalgamated with The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders to form The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforths and Camerons). On 1 October Training Company moved to Fort George and the Depot of The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders closed after 74 years at Cameron Barracks.

In October 1960 the Regimental Headquarters of The Queen's Own Highlanders were established in what was formerly the Quartermaster's house at Cameron Barracks. Fort George became the joint Depot of The Queen's Own Highlanders and The Gordon Highlanders.

The 4/5th Bn The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders TA took over the Officers' Mess at Cameron Barracks as its battalion HQ, the former NAAFI building (now demolished) for HQ Coy, and various other buildings for a TA Centre until the TA was reduced by further Government cuts in 1967. Cameron Barracks then became the Inverness Training Camp until it closed for modernisation from 1978 to 1980.

RHQ Queen's Own Highlanders was also moved to Fort George during the modernisation of Cameron Barracks, but resumed its permanent offices on completion of the work in 1980.

The reopening in 1980 of Cameron Barracks as a Training Centre is the start of a new chapter in the history of a well-loved regimental home which, since its days as 'The Hut of Health', become a familiar landmark in the Capital of the Highlands.

1 Bn, Queen's Own Highlanders was further amalgamated with 1 Bn, Gordon Highlanders on 17 September 1994 to form 1st Battalion, The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons). On 28 March 2006 The regiment became the Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS)