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The Real Medieval Scottish Highlands

1/16/2016

 
Picture
Dunstaffnage CastleThe ruins of Dunstaffnage Castle, which date from 13th century Duncan and Isabel met in the castle’s dungeon
​The Scottish Highlands of the middle Ages is the point where the European and Celtic cultures meet. The Highlands are a place of amazing natural beauty with mountains, glens, and lochs…and then there’s the rain. The western Highlands can receive nearly sixteen feet of rain per year.  
 
With such a rugged environment you might expect the people to be isolated, but we know from clan histories that lairds and chiefs went on crusade, so they probably weren’t as secluded as you might think. There is evidence of trade between the Highlands, the Western Isles, Ireland, and England. And you would expect them to have used the rivers and lochs as their highways.
 
Everyone who belonged to a clan would go by the same last name. That does not mean they were related but rather that they identified with or were under the protection of a particular clan. For instance, if you were a McDonald and were in McNaughton territory you might use the name McNaughton for protection.


Picture
The interior of a creel house
A Creel HouseA Creel House
Archeologists and scholars believe that most of the clan-folk lived in townships where the population could be as high as a hundred and fifty people. They resided in timber frame homes known as creel houses. These structures had thatched roofs, and a turf outer wall. The interior would have been dark, with one small hearth, dirt floors and very little in the way of creature comforts. The door faced south to take advantage of the natural light. Creel houses were in use from the high middle ages until the eighteenth century.

​The people of the clans were subsistence farmers, working tracks of land. They lived off the food they could grow, which included kale, oats, and bere, which is a type of barley. They picked nuts and berries, hunted, and fished. They also raised cattle for the chief. I'll post more about the food of the Highlanders in a few days.
 
The chiefs of this time had a closer kinship with their people than the lords in the south. Many of the laird's clan would have been related to him. In this period the highlands were an unsettled place where disputes, open war, and feuding were regular occurrences. Members of the clan worked the land and paid a small rent, in return their chief provided them with a safe haven in the event of an attack.
 
Compared to the rest of his clan the laird lived in relative luxury. He would have a castle, with a proper fireplace, a stone floor, tapestries, and a private bedchamber. He would probably have had chain mail, and armor too, remember some of them had travelled to the holy land, so they would have experienced the world beyond Scotland. Plus, he had a wealth of cattle and an army of kinsmen at his command.
 
Perhaps one of the reasons the clan system was successful for hundreds of years was because the chief didn’t own the land. It belonged to the clan. The position of chief was not hereditary; another man from the ruling class could replace him. This gave him an incentive to put the clan’s needs above his own.

Innis Chonnel
This is a photo of Innis Chonnel the medieval home of the Campbells. It is also the home of my hero, Duncan Campbell, in A Woman of Honour.
Beth Trissel link
1/16/2016 09:23:11 am

Fascinating. Thanks!

Marlow
1/16/2016 11:40:44 am

You're welcome Beth. Thanks for stopping by.

Jessica L. Jackson link
1/16/2016 12:08:06 pm

Lovely blog. Thanks for sharing.

Marlow
1/16/2016 12:16:50 pm

Thanks Jessica

Barbara Bettis
1/16/2016 01:40:33 pm

What interesting information, Marlow! Thanks for sharing. Love those photos, too!

Marlow
1/16/2016 02:53:23 pm

Thanks Barbara

Hebby Roman link
1/16/2016 04:27:27 pm

Interesting blog, loved the medieval content and the opening sentence where the two cultures collided, which I'd never thought about before, but it's true.

Marlow
1/16/2016 06:33:56 pm

Thanks Hebby, Yes, for me that's the reality of the Highlands in the middle ages - They're caught between two cultures.

Tena link
1/16/2016 05:25:56 pm

Wonderful information. Thanks for sharing! Good Luck with your sale!

Marlow
1/16/2016 06:35:00 pm

Thanks Tena, I'm glad you stopped by.

Mary Morgan
1/16/2016 05:58:35 pm

Wonderful post, Marlow! The Highlands are a beauty that has survived down through the centuries. Loved your pictures. Thanks for sharing. All the best with your sale, too. :)

Marlow
1/16/2016 06:36:24 pm

Thanks Mary. The Highlands are on my bucket list. I hope on day to see their beauty in person.

Susabelle Kelmer link
1/17/2016 08:52:49 am

I love posts that talk about history. Even though I don't write historicals, I love reading the histories. Thanks for re-posting this. Fascinating stuff!!

Also, sixteen FEET of rain?? I would die...LOL I'm definitely a sunshine girl. I'll take sixteen feet of snow, no problem (I live in Colorado), but just give me my sunshine!

Marlow
1/17/2016 09:08:28 am

I know what you mean Susabelle. I grew up in rainy London, but now live north of you in Alberta. We have cold, sunny days, which are much easier to deal with.
I'm glad you like the historical posts, I have another three planned for the coming week.


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Photos used under Creative Commons from mararie, libertygrace0, Renaud Camus, David Holt London
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