Jacobites, Clearance and Scots
The Archaeology of Eighteenth Century Scotland
*We are in the planniong stages for our 2024 field season; please check back for details of future plans, or contact us to join the Mailing List*
We will provide an update on dates and costs for the 2024 season as soon as possible, and it will follow a similar fashion to the details laid out below for the 2022 season. If you would like to contact us or stay in touch with project updates please do so via email.
HARP will be continuing our investigation of 18th Century Highland Scotland in 2022. The project will focus on the changing social and cultural landscapes of Scotland at this time, and aims to record the historical and archaeological sites dating to this period. The location of the project is inspired by a series of historical ‘Grand Tours’ that were being undertaken in Scotland at that time by a number of individuals, including Thomas Pennant’s tours of the Highlands, Joseph Banks tour to Staffa and Johnson and Boswell’s tour to the Hebrides.
The Tours were often facilitated by the construction of new military roads in Scotland, which were built in an attempt to ‘open up’ the Highlands following the Jacobite uprisings. These new roads were constructed by the likes of General Wade, and new mapping projects and surveys were undertaken by the likes of William Roy. The project aims to follow the routes of these tours and military surveys to identify the changing landscape of the 18th Century, from the Jacobite uprisings, through to the coming of sheep and the start of the Highland Clearances. Our survey will identify and compare what was seen by the tourists and surveyors of the time compared to what can still be seen today.
The 2015 to 2019 projects focused on sections of the routes undertaken by Pococke in 1760 (Blair Castle to Crieff via General Wade’s Military Road), and De Saint-Fond in 1784 (Kenmore to Dunkeld via Aberfeldy). Pococke visited Blair Castle, and both of these tours visited Taymouth Castle and its grounds, where the Earls of Breadalbane were significant figures in this period of Scotland’s history. The survey traced and recorded, by historical research, photography, technical drawing, building recording and GIS, the visible remains of these routes including sections of Wade’s Road and its bridges.
Along with visiting the historical remains of an integral part of Scotland’s history, participants of the field school received training in historical research, historic map analysis, archaeological field survey, monument recording, GIS training, Photographic survey and Historic Building survey.
The 2022 field school will continue the work carried out in 2015 to 2019, providing the same training as previously, and will expand to explore the SChiehallion Experiment completed by Astronomer Royal, Nevile Maskeleyne in 1772. It will be based in the Perthshire and Tayside region of the Central Highlands, with accommodation provided at the Faskally Holiday Park, providing a great opportunity to experience the Scottish Highlands.
Accommodation
Accommodation will be provided at Faskally Holiday Park near Pitlochry. The park is located between Pitlochry and Killiecrankie, site of the beginnings of the Jacobite Uprising of 1689, located on the southern edge of the Cairngorms National Park. Shared rooms will be provided, and the park has an onsite shop, bar, spa, and restaurant. All meals on work days will be provided for you during the project, with catering duties shared by the group. We will have a welcome dinner on our first night, and packed lunches for when we are out in the field (dietary requirements will be taken into account). The middle Saturday of the fortnight will consist of a free day, allowing participants to explore the surrounding area at their leisure. This will be followed by day of field trips to nearby historic sites, and to provide you with an opportunity to embark on some luxury retail therapy. Local highlights include Blair Castle, The Blair Atholl Distillery, Glen Shee Ski Centre and more.
Costs
Costs for attending the Field School are £795 GBP ($1150 US) per person. Costs include accommodation, all meals, and transport on all workdays and site visits. Transport to and from the field school is not included but free pick-ups will be arranged between Pitlochry and the field school accommodation. A limited number of transfers to/from Edinburgh Airport will be available for an extra fee, and information on this will be provided on request. A non-refundable 25% deposit will be required on your acceptance to secure your place. Places are limited and will be given on a first come first served basis upon receipt of your deposit. Prospective participants will need to complete an application form.
For more information on the field school or to apply for a place please contact us.
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