Keir Home Farm, Keir Mains

1/2 storey U-plan enclosing central cattle court of enormous extent, with 3-storey clock tower with tall roof at SE angle; tall chimney feature. Snecked rubble with ashlar dressings. Bold roguish Renaissance detail. Includes dairy with fine Minton style pictorial tiles full-height on all 4 walls. (Historic Scotland)

December 1992: The owners intimate that they intend to restore the farm one day, though at present the main house accounts for most of their available funds. The owners would be opposed to outside parties purchasing any of the estate buildings. 3 November 1993: Press reports state that Historic Scotland has written to local planners urging them to examine the site and assess what repairs or conservation works are needed. 21 November 1993: The Sunday Express reports that Stirling District Council is to order the owners to undertake repairs following a specified timescale. 20 October 1995: The press reports on the protests of the local MP who is concerned at the extent to which the farm has been allowed to deteriorate. 10 August 1996: The Scotsman reports on proposals by the owners of the Estate to more than quadruple its size. An outline planning application for the erection of 400 new homes, light industrial units, leisure facilities, 2 tourism centres, and a 9-hole golf course has been submitted. Opinion on the plans is said to be divided. October 1996: The Dunblane Civic Society reports that most of the byre roofs have now fallen in, whilst the milking parlour has lost its tiles. The farm remains open to the elements. April 1997: A site meeting is convened between the owners and SCT. The former express their intention of making the buildings wind and watertight by the summer, and are now keen to pursue re-use. February 1998: SCT understands that some works have been carried out to remove vegetation on and around the buildings. Local planners are now in correspondence with the new factor. July 1998: The owners confirm that they have asked a firm of architects to develop proposals for conversion into a hospitality suite for their guests, with a swimming pool placed in the centre of the cattle court. May 1999: Planning Permission is sought for the erection of a garden centre at Keir Mains. SCT advances the idea that the sympathetic restoration of the farm could be tied to the proposals. August 1999: SCT receives information that the clock face and bell have been stolen from the clock tower. January 2002: External inspection reveals that parts of the buildings have been boarded up, with safety notices attached. However, in general the building fabric appears in worse condition than on previous SCT visits.

June 2008: External inspection finds that the buildings remain unused. The roofs continue to deteriorate: there are many holes especially on the courtyard elevations. Most windows are boarded or have their glass broken. The lodge to the north is also sitting vacant.

January 2011: A member of the public contacts SCT with background information to the complex - their father worked farm building from 1947-1950 when it was in use as a grass dryer plant, with the family residing in part of Keir Cottages.

19 September 2012: External inspection finds the buildings have continued to deteriorate since the previous site visit. Several sections of roof have collapsed while many surviving sections have seen considerable slate loss. Trees and bushes are thriving within the site.

6 July 2015: External inspection finds the site remains overall in much the same condition as seen previously with evidence of further areas of collapse and subject to slow general deterioration.