5892: Seaview, Keose Glebe

This house is slightly unusual as it sits right on the shoreline. It is commonly assumed to be part of Keose, but actually sits inside the Glebe. The boundary to the Glebe was the stone wall that comes down by Carringtons house and a gate hung across the road there.

Tradition has it that Angus Smith and Donald MacCallum the minister became good friends after the ministers arrival in Keose in 1889, and whether it was for some service rendered and/or because Mr MacCallum was a champion of the landless classes, the minister offered Angus the opportunity to build a house anywhere on the Glebe that he chose.

Although the Crofters Act of 1888 had given crofters security of tenure, this did not apply to cottars and other landless people.

The minister said to Angus, "There is a problem. Although I can allow you to build and live here, this gift will only last while I am here myself. My successor might not be so understanding."

So between them they devised a way to give Angus security of tenure. This was by building his house on the Glebe, but below the high spring mark on the shoreline. This Angus did the following year (c1890) and the house has remained there ever since.