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. It lies on the south bank of the River Tay, about a mile 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.
Built in a neo-Gothic style and on a lavish scale, Taymouth Castle is regarded as the most important Scottish castle in private ownership. Its public rooms are outstanding examples of the workmanship of the finest craftsmen of the 19th century. No expense was spared on the castle's interior, which 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.
The existing Taymouth Castle dates from the 19th century, but the first castle on the site was built in 1550 by Sir Colin Campbell. It was Balloch Castle and became the seat of the Campbell Clan whose lands, at the height of their powers, extended over 100 miles from Taymouth to the West Coast of Scotland.
The 1st Marquis of Breadalbane demolished Balloch Castle and built Taymouth Castle. A far grander building than its predecessor, it included a landscaped deer park. Final additions and alterations were completed in readiness for the visit in 1842 of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.