Cleadale Crofting Museum

Comunn Eachdraidh Eige’s latest project is Tigh Iain Dhonnchaidh, the Cleadale Crofting Museum at Croft no 6. With initial funding from Awards for All, the society carried out essential repairs to this “ improved blackhouse,” enabling visitors to discover the way of life of a crofting family. Additional funding from the Pilgrim Trust in 2012/13 provided new replica wooden floor, windows and wood panneling in the box room.

The wealth of objects and artefacts in Tigh Iain Dhonnchaidh has turned it into a real “time capsule.” From the numerous comments in the visitors’ book, this journey into the island’s past and the story of an island family, has proved extremely popular with Eigg visitors and children in particular.

The house is open every day of the year, with guided visits on a weekly basis from April to October or by appointment. Visits are free but donations very welcome to help with the upkeep of the museum.

Available soon: the Croft no 6 app.  By downloading it to your smartphone, you will  have your own guided tour!  

Cleadale Crofting Trail

Thanks to funding from Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the society has produced three bilingual panels in Gaelic and English to help visitors understand the history of crofting in Cleadale and the way the landscape was fashioned by human occupation. The panels start at Cùl nam Park, the Cleadale cross-road, where islanders used to sit and discuss crofting matters on summer evenings.