KNOCKDERRY CASTLE

Knockderry Castle is an A Listed building on the West Coast of Argyll and Bute near Helensburgh. It was originally designed and built by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson and then further extended in the late 1800s by William Lieper and the owner at the time John Templeton of the Templeton Carpet Factory family in Glasgow.

The current owners bought the castle in January 2023 and have been working towards restoring the castle to its full potential ever since. They have been recording their journey via social media platforms and have now branched out to YouTube. Their instagram account has grown to over a million followers in just under a year.

What started as a refurbishment has swiftly descended into a full on renovation after exploration and investigation during construction has uncovered the extent of damage to the main structural elements. It has some stunning architectural features that the owners are keen to have fully restored, and most of the historical important features will be renewed or replicated.

Involvement

This project has grown arms and legs, and it’s an unbelievable project to be a part of.

I started at the castle on a three month window restoration side gig with Darren McLean, but was swiftly caught up in the magic and chaos of the place.

I accepted a role as Project Co-ordinator, after two months which means working alongside the Principle Contractor and Client to liaise with all professionals, seek out and hire heritage trades, plan for future construction, and ultimately coordinate between all involved parties whether that be documenting the journey, planning for future uses, or cleaning the onsite accommodation for visitors…!

It’s a role of a lifetime, one that combines many of my skills and brings them together on a daily basis.