The Highland Clearances

In the first documented study of one of Scotland’s most emotive subjects for many years, this book traces the origins of the Clearances from the 18th century to their culmination in the crofting legislation of the 1880s. This process of clearance was part of a wider European movement of rural depopulation, and Eric Richards describes the appalling conditions and treatment suffered by the Highland people. At the same time, however, he also illustrates how difficult the choices were that faced even the most benevolent landlords in the face of rapid economic change.