Fornethy House, Kilry

Large 16th century style castellated mansion house. Two and three-storey, harl and slate. Crowstepped gables. Inset stone 1915. Fryers and Ponman (of Largs), Architects. (Historic Scotland)

Built for the Coats' family as a summer residence and later converted to a residential school in the 1950s.

1995: Converted to residential school in the 1950s. Vacated two years ago and has been on the market since then with little success. Interest has now been expressed by a private buyer with a view to demolishing the building and erecting a replacement dwellinghouse on the site. Considerable local opposition to this. Director of Planning has indicated that the district council would be totally opposed to any demolition application. 24-hour caretaker on site. Building in good condition though lack of maintenance beginning to show. Attractive grounds becoming overgrown. Legal challenge to title restrictions still needs to be resolved. Likely to go to a Session hearing. Property cannot be sold until legal problems sorted out.Mar 98: closing date. April 98: under offer.Nov 98: sold to somebody who intends to renovate as private house. Remove from Register.

October 2009: A member of the public contacts SCT suggesting Fornethy for inclusion on the Register. Thought to remain vacant, although caretaker may be on site. Although understood to have been sold to a restorer, it is thought that the property has yet to be fully occupied. Some lead may have been stolen from lower sections of the building. Moved from SAVED to FOR INVESTIGATION.

26 October 2012: External inspection finds the disused former school in fair condition but suffering badly from dampness and deteriorating steadily - gutters and drainpipes needing to be kept clear as a priority. It is vulnerable to vandalism. Moved to At Risk.

27 May 2016: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.