The original house of Barmore was constructed by the MacAlister family, who held nearby Tarbert Castle as tenants of the Duke of Argyll.

They built the new house in the early 18th century, as the castle was deteriorating, though this led in 1762 to a lawsuit brought by the Duke against the MacAlister laird for neglect.

Playfair designed a number of buildings in the grounds, including bridges and a folly, and may have advised on the layout of the gardens.

The plant collections were maintained and enhanced by later generations of Campbells, who also had gardens at Achnacloich near Connel.

[2] The grounds of the house are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, as an "important example of a 'west coast' woodland estate landscape" of national importance, with an outstanding plant collection.