For sale, the £325k house where Whisky Galore was born
ITS stunning location and cask-strength views sent Sir Compton Mackenzie’s spirits soaring – so much so that he wrote Whisky Galore.
Now the Hebridean retreat where the celebrated author created his most famous work is up for sale.
B-listed Suidheachan looks out over Barra’s most famous strand – which doubles as the only beach runway in the world to be used for scheduled flights – and was built in 1935 as a sanctuary for Sir Compton.
Twelve years later, he wrote his whimsical tale – based on actual events in 1941 – of wily Second World War islanders who ‘liberate’ thousands of cases of Scotch from a sinking ship, the SS Politician.
In 1949, the hugely successful book was made into an Ealing comedy, which used many Barra locals as extras. The film was Book: Sir Compton remade in 2016 starring Gregor Fisher and Eddie Izzard.
Sir Compton died on November 30, 1972, aged 89, in Edinburgh and was interred at Eoligarry on his beloved Barra.
Suidheachan, which is Gaelic for ‘sitting down place’, was taken over in the 1990s by the writer’s great-nephew, the acclaimed Shakespearean actor Alan Howard, and his novelist wife Sally Beauman. They then set about renovating the five-bedroom property, which had been used for several years as a cockleshell crushing factory, into a light and roomy haven.
Selling agents Savills said they were expecting ‘considerable international interest’ in the ‘utterly unique’ property. It is on the market for offers over £325,000.