Kenmore Church
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Villages
Fortingall Village
Lyon Croft cottage is part of the Glenlyon Estate designed by the architect James M MacLaren (1853-90) along with the picturesque village of Fortingall. It was built between 1890-91 by shipowner and Unionist MP, Sir Donald Currie (1825-1909), who bought the Glenlyon Estate, including the village in 1885. The village and its Glenlyon Estate are Scotland's finest example of an 'arts and crafts' planned village, more commonly found in England.
The Fortingall parish church was built in 1901-02 on a pre-existing,early Christian site, it's 'arts and crafts' style was to harmonise with the rest of the village. In the churchyard,within it's own enclosure is the ancient Fortingall Yew tree. Estimated to be between 3000-5000 years old,it is possibly the oldest living tree in Europe. Fortingall's name and it's archaeology hint at an Iron Age cult centre, which may have had the yew tree as its focus.
Fortingall and the surrounding area has one of the richest concentrations of prehistoric archaeological sites in Scotland and one of the largest collections of early medieval sculpture. Near Fortingall evidence of a Roman camp exists . There is rumour that one of the Roman children born in the Fortingall camp was Pontius Pilate!
Kenmore Village
The history of Kenmore village stretches back to the mid 1500's. There has been settlement in the area much longer than this as witnessed by the many crannogs and stone circles in the area. Many of these are several thousand years old.
But the village itself is relatively new (1540!). The original village was actually called Inchadney and was located about 2 miles away on a ford crossing of the River Tay. The whole village was moved lock stock and barrel to its new location when Taymouth Castle was built.
The new settlement was built as a "model" village by the Breadalbanes. Many of their policies were very forward thinking. For example cottages were provided for local people free of charge as long as they brought a skill to the area. Today you will find a plaque on the wall of one of the cottages which was dedicated to the village nurse.
The original church stood close to where you will now find Rock Lodge.
