Following successful careers in London, James and Caroline moved to Inchyra in 2002, with their three children. The family thrived at Inchyra, together with a growing menagerie of large animals from horses to deerhounds.
2012 was a significant year for the family seeing both James and Caroline's 50th birthdays, and the 10th anniversary of moving to Scotland. It was time for a party. Rejecting the cliché of a marquee, their sights settled on the dilapidated yet promising Byre behind the house, built for cattle in 1877. Six months of initial renovations ensued, helped by Caroline's brother Tim, Estate Manager at Inchyra.
In July 2012, this first party at the Byre at Inchyra for nearly 200 guests was a huge success. James and Caroline had happened upon a new vision for the Byre at Inchyra: a rustic barn wedding and party venue par excellence.
Plans were drawn up, permissions sought and building work started in October 2013. The ethos was to leave anything untouched that didn't need to be changed, which resulted in the character of the old barn being entirely retained. Every possible piece of wood, slate and stone was also saved and re-used.
The Byre is now a triumph of vaulted timber roofs, rough stone walls, original stone cattle troughs and the old sunken cattle court now forming a unique central dance floor.
The Byre officially opened in June 2014 and in the following years it has become the byword for rustic luxury. We are very proud that the Byre is now considered to be one of the best wedding venues in the world: a wedding barn that exceeds all expectations.
The Estate is home to our textile business Inchyra Designs, and the flourishing Inchyra Arts Club.
Under the latter guise The Byre has hosted a range of music, comedy and other events with performers including Dougie McLean, KT Tunstall, Alan Carr and more. We have also been delighted to be the location for several programmes and broadcasts for BBC television and radio.
The Byre's wonderful, original, doors are painted in Farrow & Ball's Inchyra Blue a colour named after Inchyra House.
