OUR CROFT ORIGINAL A LABOUR OF LOVE & LOSS
Sadness behind house restoration
A WIDOW who suddenly lost her husband as they were restoring their dream home has told of her heartache.
Norman MacGeoch passed away leaving Tina to complete their vision alone.
The heartbroken mum of three soldiered on, transforming the 1900s croft into a stunning haven she knows her husband would love.
Newlands Croft House features on next week’s Scotland’s Home of the Year and Tina hopes the judges will be enchanted by the property that was a labour of love and loss.
Situated in the tiny village of Portnaguran, on Lewis, the property boasts some of the most stunning vistas ever to feature on the BBC Scotland show.
With its breathtaking panoramic views, Tina is keeping everything crossed the croft will leave Anna Campbell-Jones, Banjo Beale and Danny Campbell spellbound.
The gran of one, who grew up on a farm in Bedfordshire, said: “This really is the home we always dreamed of and I’m sad Norman didn’t live long enough to see it finished but I know he would have loved it.
“He was born on Lewis and his mum’s croft is just three minutes up the road. We spent our married lives in Aviemore and Speyside but we always knew we would end up back on the island.
“We bought the croft in 2018. It had been lying empty for quite some time and had a lot wrong with it, which meant we had to completely gut it and start again.
“We hired a local architect to bring our ideas to life and make the most of the spectacular views.
“Norman was behind a lot of the design.”
Tina, who is mum to Kirsty, Aili and Calum, added: “In 2021, we found out Norman was sick. He had had bowel cancer nine years before that and it had come back in his liver.
“Due to the lack of checks during Covid, by the time we found out, it was too late. The liver was gone. He died four months later. The house was coming together when he passed away but it took me another six months of solid work. Even though he never got to see the completed house, he knew what it was going to look like.
“I definitely feel him close to me here as this was his favourite place on Earth.
“I don’t know what he would think about the whole nation seeing inside our home but he would be pleasantly surprised.”
On Monday night’s show, the judges also cast their eye over a self-build near Stornoway and a fishing lodge near Aviemore.
● SHOTY is on BBC One Scotland at 8.30pm on Monday.
It took me another six months of solid work tina MacGEOCH on completing house