Rose Cottage Croft

Rose Cottage is a small croft in Scullomie just outside of the village of Tongue on the very far north coast of Scotland. Scullomie has stunning views over the Kyle of Tongue, Rabbit Islands and Eilean nan Ron. The view from Rose Cottage is ever changing, the sea can be azure blue on a sunny day, jade green on a cold winter’s day and sparkling silver as nighttime falls. It a perfect place to take inspiration.

This is a special place, at times the weather is ferocious, but it can be the most tranquil place on earth. The wildlife and wildflowers complete the setting. I don’t think there’s many places where you can have the company of an inquisitive seal as the dogs play in the cove during their morning walk or you can pause to take in the sight of dolphins heading out to the open sea.

The cottage takes took its name from the ancient climbing roses that rambled up the front wall. These have now been replaced with younger bushes but the ancient old roses have been relocated and now grow in the garden

The croft garden provides apples, plums, damsons, greengages, gooseberries, cherries, black currents and lovely smelling herbs such as mint, lemon balm, lavender and rosemary. Much of what grows does so in defiance of the challenging climate.

Rose Cottage Scullomie has been our (Andrea and Derrick) Highland home since December 2010. Formerly of Darwen, Lancashire we moved to live and work in the wonderful remoteness of North Sutherland.

We share our croft with our goats, Betty the pig, Molly and Dolly the sheep, Milo the collie, Quinn the cocker spaniel and Fred the cat. Together we take care of our croft land, each with our own role to play.

We’re not exactly sure of the date that the cottage was built. We know that it was an established home in June 1844 when the Sutherland Estate Factor visited all the tenant crofters in the Tongue area. Below is the entry from his notebook about the family and croft that made the cottage their home.

SCULLOMIE No.11 (168)

Fourth house from east end on west side of road. Lot No.6 on Plan of 1829. Then 2.2.5 arable and 1.3.22 of pasture, together 4.1.27.  A good deal drained and improved since 1829. Nothing more that could be advantageously taken in. Rent £5 4s. 11d. Has a garden.

House - a new tenantry one, thatched, divided but not lofted.

Family - tenant 57 years of age, a labourer. Has a wife, six sons and two daughters. One daughter and son now married. In this way only at home, five sons 26, 21, 17, 13 and 11. Two of the sons are fishers.

Stock: 5 cows, 18 sheep. Gave him permission to put up a shop at east end of house, and dunghill to be shifted to back of house.