Crovie - (pronounced "Crivvy"). The first record of a settlement here was in about 1297, and the nearby St John's Church dates as far back as 1004. It was not until the 1700s that the village started to grow, with about 20 cottages and 100 residents recorded in 1791. By 1900 this had expanded to 66 cottages and 300 people, largely as a result of population shifts from the Highland Clearances.
Most people earned their living from the sea, a harsh life that ended in January 1953, when massive storms devastated the Scottish coastline, destroying several Crovie cottages and forcing the residents to flee. Few wished to return, and the local council plotted to bulldoze the entire village into the sea. Fortunately some of the owners rebelled and formed the Crovie Preservation Society, dedicated to restoring Crovie as a living village. Nearly all cottages have since been renovated and it is these owners who continue to keep Crovie in the unique condition you can enjoy today.
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