It was 'Doors Open' day at Blair Drummond House and as usual I was taking groups on tours around the building. This is the fourth year I have done this and it's something I really enjoy. I love the history of the building and know quite a bit about it but it never ceases to surprise me the number of people who take the tour that are interested in the family and can give me more detail on their lives at Blair Drummond.

The building dates from 1868 and replaced the original 4 storey house which was situated where the Zebra enclosure in the safari park now is. The childless couple who lived in this house outgrew it and Blair Drummond House was built. We don't have any record of how much it cost to build the house but have documentation for the cost of a fence at £82 and, I am told, £1 in 1862 equates to approximately £70k in today's money.

The house remained in the Stirling Home-Drummond family until 1920 when it was sold to Sir Kay Muir and it remained in the Muir family until 1977 when it was taken over by the Camphill movement.