"Barbarous, and yet mixed with some shew of civilitie:" The Clan MacFarlane of North Loch Lomondside c.1570-1800

Johnston-Smith, D. J (2002) "Barbarous, and yet mixed with some shew of civilitie:" The Clan MacFarlane of North Loch Lomondside c.1570-1800. MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis is the culmination of several years part-time study of the development and progress of a community which was historically situated just north of the dividing range which separates the Highlands and Lowlands, near the site of the modem village of Arrochar. It was initially conceived to test the assumption that the clan MacFarlane was little more than a band of thieving caterans; a theory which has dominated the collective historical literature since the clan's departure from the Highlands, as a cohesive social uniit, in the late 18th Century. The thesis's continued raison d'etre has been the surprising significance of its findings. Having appreciated quite early on that the surviving primary historical sources relating to the MacFarlanes were fairly scarce, I complemented this material with an assessment of the surviving archaeological remains. This joint disciplinary approach enabled me to achieve a far greater understanding of this people and its territory than has ever been attempted or realised before. The results demolished all previous conceptions of the clan, and, given the right method of application these findings will contribute greatly to current historiographical debates upon the relationship between the Highlands and Lowlands. Instead of a latter day unruly, lawless, barbarian tribe it was possible to discern, at times, a previously unknown stable, peaceable and constructive community. In essence, the MacFarlanes proved to be a people who truly were "Barbarous, and yet mixed with some shew of civilitie."

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Additional Information: Adviser: Stephen Driscoll
• Keywords: European history
• Date of Award: 2002
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2002-72137
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 17 May 2019 12:50
• Last Modified: 17 May 2019 12:50
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/72137