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By the turn of the 19th
century the family fortunes had sufficiently improved
to finance the erection of Taymouth Castle. The main
core of Taymouth in many ways replicates Inverary, the
seat of the Senior Campbell, Duke of Argyll, but with
its large extensions and superb embellishments, is of
a scale and quality unknown elsewhere in Scotland.
Much of the Estate was completed by September
1842 when Lord Breadalbane entertained Queen Victoria
and the Prince Consort. In her diaries the Queen described
her reception. "There were a number of Lord
Breadalbane's Highlanders, all in the Campbell tartan,
drawn up in front of the house, with Lord Breadalbane
himself in a Highland dress at their head, a few of
Sir Niall Menzie's men (in the Menzie's red and white
tartan), a number of the pipers playing, and a company
of the 92 Highlanders also in kilts. The firing of the
guns, the cheering of the great crowd, the picturesqueness
of the dresses, the beauty of the surrounding country
with its rich background of wooded hills, altogether
formed one of the finest scenes imaginable. It seemed
as if a great chieftain in old and feudal times was
receiving his sovereign."
The Breadalbane Estates were broken up
shortly after the Great War. Much was sold to sporting
tenants or local farmers and Taymouth itself was eventually
purchased by The Taymouth Castle Hotel Company Ltd.
Prior to the Second World War the castle was operated
as a hotel, and at this time, the deer park was developed
into a magnificent golf course
The castle was requisitioned by the Government during
the Second World War and was used as a convalescent
home. After the war the Authorities turned it into a
headquarters for Civil Defence Training in Scotland.
For a short period it was used as a school for the children
of American servicemen.
Taymouth
Castle is believed to be the most important Scottish
castle remaining in private ownership. Its public rooms
are outstanding examples of the opulence and refinement
created by the best architects and craftsmen of the
early 19th century. The central building with its cloistered
colonnade and corner towers, dates from 1806 and was
built by James and Archibald Elliot. Within the central
tower Francis Bernasconi, acknowledged as the greatest
designer of fine plaster work in that era created a
central staircase that soars 100 feet through all 4
storeys of the tower. It is one of the most impressive
staircases in Britain. Many of the ceilings were painted
by Cornelius Dixon.
The present owners have tried to ensure
that the Castle is kept in good order. Many hundreds
of thousands o f pounds have been spent on the main
roof. Mr. Norman Chalmers the long serving caretaker
received an MBE in 1998 for services to the nation.
Sadly "Norry" passed away recently.
Modern safety regulations preclude the opening of the
Castle to the public. |
