Reduce your energy bill

Build an icehouse instead of running a fridge


This example deep in the shade of Duff House woods was built around 1790 and was built by a Banff stone mason. Ice houses were introduced to London from France in the mid 17th century and the concept was brought to Scotland by wealthy landowners with London connections.

The ice house is built largely underground and consists of a pit which was filled with layers of crushed ice, snow and saltpetre water was poured over each layer so that it froze solid. A drain under the pit allowed meltwater to escape- in a well constructed ice house this only had to be changed every two or three years.

Straw was used for insulation and the storeroom above the pit had double stone walls and a domed turf covered roof. Food such as dairy produce, meat and fish could be kept fresh in this chilly larder.