What is it about?
The rich agricultural landscape of northern Scotland owes a great deal to the wealth generated by imperial service in India. The correspondence of two men who became friends while serving in India, the doctor Kenneth Murchison and General Patrick Duff of the East India Company Artillery reveal fascinating details about how this wealth was generated, how it was brought back to Scotland and how it was invested. They have left behind an architectural legacy in the form of fine farm buildings which are a significant part of the modern landscape.
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Why is it important?
We know that Indian wealth was significant in the development of eighteenth century Scotland, but that is often at a general level. Our work provides some concrete examples which illustrate the process.
Perspectives
I grew up with visits to the steading at Mains of Carnousie. Exploring why it is so magnificent has opened up whole new avenues of inquiry. This article is a small but important part of a story which also includes the Madeira wine trade. I also hope it is a contribution to efforts to save the building by converting it into residential use.
Dr Alistair Mutch
Nottingham Trent University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Indian Wealth and Agricultural Improvement in Northern Scotland, Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, May 2015, Edinburgh University Press,
DOI: 10.3366/jshs.2015.0139.
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