Victoria's Highland dairy to become a luxury home

The plan is part of ambitious proposals to restore 19th-century A-listed Taymouth Castle in Highland Perthshire to its former glory.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent four days in 1842 honeymooning at the Gothic-style castle, the seat of the Campbells of Breadalbane, marking the start of her love affair with the Highlands of Scotland.

One of the highlights of her stay is said to have been her visit to the dairy, specially built in the grounds, where she played the role of a milkmaid to the delight of her husband.

The ruins of the dairy are now to be restored and converted into a luxury residence under plans being developed by a London-based investment firm, the Meteor Property Fund, to turn the castle into one of the most luxurious hotels in Scotland.

The castle had been earmarked for a 74 million transformation into Scotland's first six star hotel with 150 rooms, a health spa, luxury lodges and equestrian centre, but work ground to a halt four years ago, and the previous owners, Taymouth Group, went into administration two years later.

To help fund the restoration scheme, Meteor plans to build 160 luxury holiday homes on the 450-acre estate near Kenmore, which would be constructed in phases.

The dairy is one of a small number of buildings on the estate already identified for conversion under an existing planning consent to build 89 homes at Taymouth, and Meteor is set to submit an application to Perth and Kinross Council that will include plans for 71 more properties on the estate.

Meteor development manager Martin Mortimer said the conversion of the listed dairy would result in a "fabulous piece of property" with a unique history.

He said: "The story goes that, at the time of her visit, Queen Victoria felt at this point in her life she wanted to be nearer to her people and therefore commissioned the dairy to be constructed. It looks like a house - albeit a fairly unusual one - and sits on top of hill overlooking the castle and the river.

"She duly arrived at the dairy by carriage. She went into the dairy where there was a cow and a milk maid. She then milked the cow and left."

Taymouth Castle certainly amused the monarch. She wrote in her journal: "It seemed as if a great chieftain in olden feudal times was receiving his sovereign. It was princely and romantic."