Taymouth Castle

Taymouth Castle is situated to the north-east of the village of Kenmore, Perth and Kinross, in the Highlands of Scotland, in an estate which encompasses 450 acres (180 ha). It lies on the south bank of the River Tay, about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Loch Tay, in the heartland of the Grampian Mountains. Taymouth is bordered on two sides by mountain ranges, by Loch Tay on the third and by the confluence of the rivers Lyon and Tay on the fourth. Taymouth Castle stands on the site of the much older Balloch Castle, which was built in 1552, as the seat of the Campbell clan. In the early 19th century, Balloch Castle was demolished by the Campbells of Breadalbane so that the new, much larger castle could be rebuilt on the site. The new castle's blue-grey stone was taken from the quarry at Bolfracks. Built in a neo-Gothic style and on a lavish scale, Taymouth Castle is regarded one of the most important Scottish castles in private ownership. Its public rooms show examples of the workmanship of the craftsmen of the 19th century. The castle's interior was decorated with extravagant carvings, plasterwork and murals. Panels of medieval stained glass and Renaissance woodwork were incorporated into the scheme. Much of this decor still survives. Francis Bernasconi, acknowledged as the greatest designer of fine plasterwork of the era, created the central staircase, which connects all four storeys of the central tower. Many of the ceilings were painted by Cornelius Dixon. The castle is a Category A listed building, and the grounds, which include parklands and woodlands, are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the national listing of significant gardens. Historic Environment Scotland have graded the castle as 'outstanding' in their work of art, historical, architectural and scenic categories. They also acknowledged that, due to the remnants of its pinetum and the outstanding size of its remaining trees, it also has horticultural value. It is said that some of the…