Taymouth Castle: Dairy Byre, Kenmore

L-plan, chloritic schist ashlar, 3-aisle, 7-bay byre with timber roof on square-section cast-iron columns, some wooden trevises and ceramic water troughs. Accommodation and dairy range at W end with attic room and 2 wall-head chimney stacks. Slate roof with open eaves and wavy barge boards to gables. One of the spectacular and complete group of structures making up the Taymouth Castle estate. (Historic Scotland)

The Castle and its contents were sold 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 now for sale, at £5.5 million. October 1998: External inspection reveals the byre to be disused and hidden away in the grounds of the castle. It is falling into a poor state of repair. 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 ashlar stonework remains in good condition, but the rest of the structure is derelict with the roof partially collapsed. The hotel development plans for the estate would see the dairy divided into 4 timeshares. 2 August 2004: The Herald reports that the hotel development is likely to be approved, on condition that a colony of freshwater mussels in not disturbed. 5 August 2004: The Scotsman reports that councillors have approved the plans, although the decision will now be referred to the Scottish Executive following concerns raised by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. 17 December 2004: The Dundee Courier reports that Hotels International may pull out of the project due to delays in processing the Listed Building Consent application. They were due to purchase the building on 31 December, but may withdraw their interest if permissions are not secured by this time. The Aberdeen Press and Journal repeats the story. 21 December 2004: The Perthshire Advertiser repeats the story. 24 December 2004: The Perthshire Advertiser provides further coverage of the story. 31 December 2004: The Perthshire Advertiser reports that the local MSP has written to the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport asking her to intervene. 7 January 2005: The Aberdeen Press and Journal reports that a decision on the development will now be referred to the Scottish Executive's inquiry reporter. 18 January 2005: The Scotsman reports that Hotels International has exercised its option to purchase the castle. The Perthshire Advertiser and Dundee Courier repeat the story. 20 January 2005: The Perth Herald and Post repeats the story.

August 2008: The Herald reports that the company undertaking the restoration of Taymouth Castle have gone into administration. The Scotsman repeats the story and states that the Castle‘s windows and roof had been restored by the developers before works stopped in April 2008.

September 2009: External inspection finds the building is not wind and water tight. The roof is damaged in a number of places. Most windows and rooflights have lost their glazing. The gutters are full of plants and leaves. The surrounding woodland is encroaching on the building. The building is within the grounds of the golf course with no road access.

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: Local planners report the owners of the estate Meteor Asset Management have been in discussion with the local authority with ambitions for the wider designed landscape surrounding Taymouth Castle, including the listed buildings within it, as part of the plan for restoration and conversion of the Castle into a hotel.

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. The consented revised development plan for the estate (11/00533/FLM) notes the intention to implement the original (03/02250/PPLB ) consents to restore and convert the building to residential use.