The Afterlife of Patrick Sellar and the History of the Highland Clearances

This article concerns the continuing controversies around the actions and reputation of the sheep farmer and factor Patrick Sellar. His involvement in the Sutherland clearances and his trial and acquittal in the High Court ensured his contemporary reputation as one of the most loathed figures in the highlands. The article examines the way in which this reputation has been sustained in the period since his death in 1851 and emphasizes the role of his large and distinguished family in their efforts to defend and protect his reputation. A further theme is the way in which the public understanding of the clearances shifted in a variety of historical contexts since the early nineteenth century.