Over the years at Largo House, McTaggart was a regular prizewinner at local horticultural shows and fetes - see examples below from the Fife Herald. During this period there were also regular excursion parties visiting the 'gardens and pleasure grounds' at Largo House. One group numbered 520 when they visited in June 1864. Meanwhile, in 1862, McTaggart married domestic servant Jessie Boyle. However, their union ended in tragedy two years later when their newborn baby daughter died at a few hours old, followed a few days later Jessie herself. Further below is their gravestone at Upper Largo cemetery.
At some stage the McTaggarts moved to Lenzie and it was there that Colin died in 1912 aged 83 and his wife Margaret died in 1919. They were buried in Temple village burial ground, back near Arniston, where they had buried a daughter in 1888.
Arniston House was not dissimilar in age and in style to Largo House (see image below) but, unlike Largo House, it has survived intact to this day. Having undergone recent renovations, the house can be visited by the public and some buildings within the grounds (including the gardener's cottage) can be rented as holidays cottages. The interior of Arniston provides an insight to what the inside of Largo House may have been like in its heyday.
Further information about Arniston House:
grovesraines.com/projects/conservation/arniston-house-i57n
https://www.arniston-house.co.uk/