I've altered my page on the Highland Clearances as I am currently working through the following for the history -
Professor Eric Richards The Highland Clearances Professor Eric Richards Patrick Sellar and the Highland Clearances ed. R. J. Adam Papers on the Sutherland Estate Management 1802- 1816 and the Sutherland estate papers held in the National Library of Scotland the Sutherland estate seems paternalistic, patronising and often incompetent but not all that bad. It was certainly not involved with arbitrary ethnic cleansing as far too many believe. Large parts of Mark Rugg Gunn's Chapter 17 are questionable; not least 'The way was now clear for the wholesale Sutherland clearances, a chapter of tragedy and inhumanity as black as any in Scottish history and nowhere did the axe fall more heavily than on the land of the Gunns' Page 211. Hmm. The whole estate was treated equally as shown by the archives so it's not just the Gunns. And certainly all those involved with the later evictions were offered land on the coast in the fishing villages (mainly in Helmsdale or Brora) or other options (and the earlier evictions were also treated with humanity but less competence) - in exchange; and had free rent for over a year before they were evicted, and rent arrears were wiped and lots more.
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