Taymouth Castle: Rock Lodge, Kenmore

Single storey with 2-stage circular tower Gothic folly forming part of Taymouth Castle Estate. Rustic masonry with projecting stones. Pointed openings. Forms part of an exceptionally spectacular and complete group of ancillary structures on the Taymouth Castle Estate. (Historic Scotland) Noted as being originally habitable but built to appear a ruin. (N.Haynes)

The Castle was sold with its contents in 1922 and it became a hotel. The site operated as a Polish hospital during the war and was later leased to a civil defence school.

20 June 1997: The Scotsman reports that Taymouth Castle and its grounds are for sale, at £5.5 million. July 2001: External inspection reveals the lodge to be ruinous. 29 November 2002: The Metro reports that the castle and its grounds have been purchased by the Four Seasons Hotel Group. 21 April 2003: The Dundee Evening Telegraph reports that a formal application for a hotel development has been lodged. This is to be followed by a separate application for developments in the grounds. 22 April 2003: The Perthshire Advertiser repeats the story. December 2003: Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust notes that despite reports to the contrary, the estate remains in the ownership of Taymouth Castle Estates. The rock lodge has been stabilised. June 2006: Local planners report that restoration works have been carried out.

October 2008: External inspection finds work has clearly taken place on the Lodge, but structure remains disused.

September 2009: External inspection finds the building remains a ruinous shell. Vegetation is taking hold of the crevices in the stonework and the interior. The walls appear to remain sound.

September 2010: The Courier reports on a potential purchasor for the Taymouth Castle. A pensions and investment company, Meteor Asset Management, is reported to have been in discussions with KPMG, as administrators, on the potential purchase of the 425 acre estate.

August 2011: External inspection finds no significant change from the previous site visit.

28 March 2013: Local planners advise the owner of the site is understood to be Taymouth Castle Estates Ltd.

19 February 2014: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously - a roofless shell with no surviving internal fittings. The consented revised development plan for the estate (11/00533/FLM) notes a continued commitment to the conservation of all listed structures within the estate, as proposed within the original (03/02250/PPLB ) consents.

31 May 2022: BARR is advised a number of the buildings within the Taymouth Castle estate are now under repair, including Rock Lodge. Moved to Restoration in Progress.