Earnscliffe

In 1838, Thomas McKay, born in Scotland in 1792, acquired ten acres of land on the Rideau River, just opposite of his settlement of New Edinburgh. McKay sold the the empty lot to his son-in-law and junior partner, John MacKinnon, in 1854. The construction of Earnscliffe began shortly thereafter. After several owners, Earnscliffe was sold to Sir John A. Macdonald in 1883. He lived in Earnscliffe until his death in 1891. The United Kingdom Government bought Earnscliffe in 1930. Since then it has been the residence of the British High Commissioner.