The Highland Clearances: Scotland's Forgotten Exodus

The Story of Scotland: Clans, Crowns, and the Fight for Identity — Fexingo History · Apr 24, 2026 · 6m

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Scotland's Highlands were transformed by a process of mass eviction known as the Highland Clearances. Following the defeat of the Jacobite Rising at Culloden in 1746, the British government enacted brutal policies to dismantle the clan system. Chiefs became landlords, and thousands of families were forced from their ancestral homes to make way for sheep. This episode explores the key figures like Patrick Sellar, the legal justifications, and the resistance at Strathnaver. We also look at the long-term consequences: emigration to Canada, Australia, and the…