Picture by CKD Galbraith
Castle Haven, locally known as “The Coo Palace” is an Edwardian dairy built by the Knockbrex estate by the coast at Corseyard. As it’s about three miles from our house towards the beach, visitors often spot it and ask what it is. Built for the finest dairy cows on the estate at the time, the building was once home to 14 cows and the dairyman (who lived in an apartment in the tower). It’s been empty for decades now and, despite some temporary repairs to the roof of the tower, is in a bad way. It’s A-listed and officially on the buildings at risk register. Now, however, it looks like there may be plans afoot to bring this dilapidated building back to life. You can read the estate agent’s particulars here.
The Holiday Property Bond are in the process of buying the dairy and have plans to convert it into holiday accommodation for their bondholders. The current plans are for 21 apartments, created from renovating the existing buildings (the tower will be kept as a viewing platform) and some sympathetic new builds on the site. The company and their architect invited the community council to a site visit last week and held a public meeting in the village hall to show their plans and discuss the scheme. The plans seem like a viable solution to saving an otherwise collapsing building and, like all small rural communities, Borgue could benefit from the extra income and jobs the development will create. I wonder if the visitors would fancy buying in home baking and handmade “ready” meals…?
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