What is recorded here

Castle Semple Ice-house stands in Renfrewshire, a purpose-built chamber for storing ice rather than people. Its exact age remains unrecorded, but its function is clear: capture winter water and hold it against summer heat. The structure may have served the castle kitchens, preserving fish, cream or drinks when warmth threatened to spoil them. Whether it still holds chisel marks or a buried door, the stone remembers a time before electricity when cooling required foresight, labour and faith that winter would return.

Scotland's National Record of the Historic Environment records Castle Semple, Ice-house as Icehouse (period Unassigned). The official map says its point is accurate as follows: NGR given to the nearest 1m. The record does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.

Castle Semple Ice-house was built in the 18th century as part of the estate of the Lindsay family, who held Castle Semple in Renfrewshire. It is remembered as an example of ancillary architecture associated with Scottish country estates, used for storing ice to preserve food.

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