Langwell - by Michael Moss & William Parente (Hardcover)

About the Book

Presents the rich history of a Caithness estate in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Book Synopsis

This book traces the history of a 30,000-acre Highland estate and its people from after the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745 until the estate was sold to the 5th Duke of Portland in 1857. Using original research and archival sources including first-hand reports, court records, letters and contemporary newspapers, it sheds light on the lives of the crofters, their landlords, the sheep economy, the droving trade and the fishing industry. Langwell provides deep insight into the immense cultural and social changes taking place in the Scottish Highlands during the period.

Review Quotes

Langwell is an absorbing story of a Caithness estate,1750-1850. Its review of the key changes of the period undoubtedly adds to the wider debate, but what is particularly well-depicted is the complex network of debt surrounding the estate's ownership and the book's success at giving identity to those who managed it.--Robet A. Dodgshon, Aberystwyth University

This remarkable book will be a landmark text for the history not only of Caithness or the Highlands, but for rural communities across Scotland and globally. It utilises a huge range of primary materials to build a meticulous picture of a society undergoing a series of revolutions in their way of life, and tells that story with excitement and creativity from multiple perspectives. An absolutely essential read.--Annie Tindley, Newcastle University