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The Stonemason Donald Macleod's Chronicle of Scotland's Highland Clearances
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Douglas MacGowan
ISBN: 0-275-96947-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-96947-9
144 pages
Praeger Publishers
Publication: 5/30/2001
List Price: $106.95 (UK Sterling Price: £73.95)
Availability: In Stock
Media Type: Hardcover
Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Subjects:
Description: Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, waves of tenant evictions swept through northern Scotland in what would become known as the Highland Clearances. Wealthy landlords, discovering hardy breeds of sheep that would flourish in the severe Highland climate, replaced populated farms and villages with higher-revenue sheep farms. The former tenants faced the choice of migrating to other parts of Scotland or emigrating to other countries. Stonemason Donald Macleod's collected writings provide one of the few existing chronicles of the Clearances from the perspective of one of the evicted tenants.

The majority of contemporary reports of the Highland Clearances were composed by journalists or the parties who put the evictions into effect. Landowners did not maintain accurate numbers of evictions and the negative consequences that resulted. Villages were destroyed to discourage tenants from returning, often before they could remove themselves or their possessions, resulting in severe hardship and even death. Originally a series of newspaper articles grouped by topic and published over a period of many months, Macleod's writings have remained largely unread. MacGowan edits and annotates the letters to present a chronological and powerful account of the tragedy.
Table of Contents:
  • Foreword
    Preface
    Introduction
    The Early Years: 1800-1811
    The Years of Burning:1812-1814
    The Trial of Patrick Sellar and Afterwards: 1815-1816
    Further Clearances: 1818-1820
    Life by the Sea and Problems with Livestock
    A Royal Visit, Clergymen, and Another Book: 1822
    Lady Stafford's visits, the Debt, and a Return Home: 1827-1830
    The Macleods are Cleared: 1831-1834
    New Houses, New Titles, and a Memorial Statue: 1832-1834
    Crop Failures and Attempts at Relief: 1836-1837
    Further Taxes, Another Death, And Macleod's First Writings: 1838-1839
    Macleod's Continued Writings and the Durness Riots: 1840-1841
    Afterword
    Notes
    Bibliography
    Index
About the Author: DOUGLAS MACGOWAN is the author of numerous articles and one book on Scottish history, Murder in Victorian Scotland. He is a regular contributor to the magazine Celtic Heritage and has also written for The Highlander, Dalriada Journal, Garm Lu, U.S. Scots, and the Scottish Journal. A native of Chicago, he and his wife live in Redwood City, California.
LCC Class: 333
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