A croft on the Isle of Lewis, held by the MacLean family for nearly a century, has been put up for sale, marking an end to a longstanding chapter in the area's crofting tradition. The property, located on the west side of the island near the village of Shawbost, comprises a six-acre croft and a traditional two-up, two-down granite house built in 1932 by Murdo MacLean, a Great War veteran and bus owner.

The MacLean family’s association with the croft dates back to the interwar period, with the current sale passing the property beyond the fifth generation. The house was where the current owner's mother was born in 1936. Offers are being sought in excess of £200,000, a price point well above the average local wage, leading to expectations that the croft is likely to be acquired by buyers from outside the Hebrides, potentially for holiday lets rather than permanent residence.

Shawbost, comprising three crofting townships—South, New, and North—remains a picturesque area, nestled among rolling hills with a central river and a shell-sand beach. The landscape is dominated by the nearby hill A’ Bheinn Mhor, standing 856 feet tall, offering expansive views over the crofting settlements. The area retains its Gaelic heritage, though fluent speakers among young residents have become rare, reflecting broader linguistic and cultural shifts.

Murdo MacLean, known locally as “Murdaig,” was born in 1891 and spent time in America during the economic downturn of the 1920s before returning to Lewis to marry Mary, a local woman who refused to emigrate. In purchasing a bus, he embarked on a profitable local enterprise. The family home was modest but functional; it initially lacked modern amenities such as running water and electricity, which only arrived in Shawbost in the 1950s, allowing for an extension to the house.

Mary MacLean, known for her skill in cooking and fondness for animals, managed the household with traditional expertise. The family’s roots trace back to Iain Dubh MacLean, a chieftain who, after political upheaval in the early 18th century, settled on Lewis with other followers of the Earl of Seaforth. The village itself maintained many crofting customs well into the 20th century, including haymaking, peat cutting, and the keeping of house cows, alongside older blackhouse dwellings.

Murdo MacLean passed away from cancer in 1973, followed by Mary a decade later. Their deaths symbolized the dissolution of strong familial ties that had once held the community together. The sale of their croft underscores ongoing challenges facing traditional rural life in the Outer Hebrides, where economic pressures and demographic changes are reshaping the cultural landscape.