University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--History History 2019 HISTORY SPEAKS FROM THE SOIL: A CASE STUDY OF COMMONS ENCLOSURE IN THE CLEARANCE ERA ON NORTH AND SOUTH UIST Anna Rachel Herrington University of Kentucky, [email protected] Author ORCID Identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0974-3260 Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2019.264 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Herrington, Anna Rachel, "HISTORY SPEAKS FROM THE SOIL: A CASE STUDY OF COMMONS ENCLOSURE IN THE CLEARANCE ERA ON NORTH AND SOUTH UIST" (2019). Theses and Dissertations--History. 55. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/history_etds/55 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the History at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--History by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Anna Rachel Herrington, Student Dr. Tammy Whitlock, Major Professor Dr. David Hamilton, Director of Graduate Studies HISTORY SPEAKS FROM THE SOIL: A CASE STUDY OF COMMONS ENCLOSURE IN THE CLEARANCE ERA ON NORTH AND SOUTH UIST THESIS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Anna Rachel Herrington Lexington, Kentucky Co- Directors: Dr. Tammy Whitlock, Professor of History and Dr. Kathy Newfont, Professor of History Lexington, Kentucky 2019 Copyright © Anna Rachel Herrington 2019 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0974-3260 ABSTRACT OF THESIS HISTORY SPEAKS FROM THE SOIL: A CASE STUDY OF COMMONS ENCLOSURE IN THE CLEARANCE ERA ON NORTH AND SOUTH UIST This thesis argues that commons enclosure in the Clearance Era on the Uist island group in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland was a direct result of the Clearances on those islands in the 18th and 19th centuries and how the enclosure of commons on these islands was catastrophic to those communities who had functioned, worked, and thrived in those regions for millennia. Commons and commons systems are those resources such as land, water, and produce either from agriculture or natural harvesting which contribute to human habitation and existence in a particular geographic area. Commons and commons systems on North and South Uist island group are no exception. The recognition of these systems in the Uists is imperative to understanding how the enclosure of commons in the Outer Hebrideans impacted land use and agrarian practices. KEYWORDS: Commons, Enclosure, North Uist, South Uist, Agrarian, Land Tenure Anna Rachel Herrington 04/18/2019 Date HISTORY SPEAKS FROM THE SOIL: A CASE STUDY OF COMMONS ENCLOSURE IN THE CLEARANCE ERA ON NORTH AND SOUTH UIST By Anna Rachel Herrington Dr. Tammy Whitlock Co-Director of Thesis Dr. Kathy Newfont Co-Director of Thesis Dr. David Hamilton Director of Graduate Studies 04/18/2019 Date DEDICATION To Farris and Crawford ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following thesis, while an individual work, benefited from the insights and direction of an important group of people who willingly shared their scholarly largesse. First, my thesis chair and co-chair, Dr. Tammy Whitlock and Dr. Kathy Newfont, who both exemplify the high-quality scholarship to which I aspire. Dr. Whitlock provided timely and instructive comments and evaluation at every stage of the thesis process, allowing me to complete this project on schedule. Her dedication to my complete undergraduate and graduate experience has been unwavering. I thank her for not allowing me to abandon my academic pursuits and for her ability to infuse humor into my student life for always pointing out the lighter side of my academic experiences. Dr. Kathy Newfont has supported and encouraged my academic endeavors into an often-difficult and complex area of study. Thank you for keeping me on the path not taken and inspiring me to make a difference through my work. I wish to thank Dr. Jim Albisetti for his expert assistance with my undergraduate senior seminar which launched me on the Scottish journey. Dr. Karen Petrone requires special mention because she has believed in me throughout my academic career and has helped me remain positive and appreciated in the department by granting me funding and scholarships. My family doctor Dixie Stone and the doctors at the University of Kentucky Oncology Department gave me life and an opportunity to carry on my very important role iii as single parent to my children without which my life journey would have little purpose or meaning. I also wish to thank the people on the farms in South Africa who unknowingly helped shape my understanding of land and the human ties to it. Their labour and hard work will never be underestimated or forgotten. Thank you for respecting me and welcoming into your lives and sharing your unique cultures with me in my twenty-two years of living among your Kwa-Zulu, Xhosa, Bapedi, and Cape communities. Dr. Phil Harling’s graduate seminar and work on historical apologies allowed my exploration into this complex addition to the thesis and greatly assisted with new insights into that part of my work. Your enthusiasm for history is contagious and appreciated. Finally, I wish to thank Dr. Jim Hunter for his willingness to share, informally assist, inspire my pursuits of the Highland Clearances Era. He generously shared conversations with me and pointed me in the right directions with my research. He inspired me as an undergraduate and contributed to my overall understanding of the Clearances while furthering my need to question land use practices, enclosure, and the importance of the Highlands and Islands and their impact in the present-day global land reforms. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements… ...................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ................................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Common Systems ............................................................................................. 5 1.2 Background of Highland and Island Clearances as a Case Study .................... 7 Chapter 2: Commons and Enclosure History in Britain ................................................... 11 2.1 Brief Background to Commons and Enclosure in Britain .............................. 11 2.2 Early Commons History ................................................................................. 13 2.3 Global Modern Commons Scholarship .......................................................... 18 2.4 Myth of the Tragedy of the Commons ........................................................... 19 Chapter 3: Agriculture and Agrestic Customs on the Uists ............................................. 21 3.1 Defining Run-Rig, “Lazy” Beds, and the Foot Plow ..................................... 21 3.2 Foot Plow ....................................................................................................... 24 3.3 “Lazy” Beds ................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 4: The Highland Clearances ............................................................................... 29 4.1 What Were the Highland Clearances? ........................................................... 29 4.2 Witness Testimony Evidence ......................................................................... 32 4.3 Archaeological Evidence ............................................................................... 38 4.4 Newspaper Reports ........................................................................................ 41 4.5 Consequences ................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 5: Outcomes and Apology