Book Watch: The Man Who Went To Farr.

'The Man Who Went to Farr' 


J.G. Leith


Published: 2010


It is nearly 200 years since Patrick Sellar stood accused of culpable homicide for his part in the Sutherland Clearances. Yet his name continues to reverberate around the Highlands. This book pulls together some of the substantial and the circumstantial evidence

Copyright: Baseline Publ.

    Patrick Sellar was acquitted, and no one can argue, that  in law, he was cleared of all charges brought against him, but he was never able to escape the continuing clamour and ever present accusations.  At various points throughout his life he felt the need to reiterate his proven innocence and even after his death, his family were moved to continue offering explanations in his defence.

Today, the debate rumbles on amidst the ongoing indulgence in discussion about the Highland Clearances.  There exists a wealth of published material on the ‘clearances’, some of which has placed Sellar and his trial in a central position.

This is the not trial of Patrick Sellar by hindsight but instead a presentation of not just what was examined by the then High Court in Inverness on 26th April 1816, but also what was being said and often inferred by some who never received the opportunity to give evidence and some who were effectively precluded from giving evidence. And yet there were others who knew many of the real truths, but either from fear or for favour remained silent.

Our witnesses all had some knowledge of the events in Strathnaver, some of it maybe not at first hand but they would have been familiar with and close enough in time and place to know where many of the truths lay. In fact this is more an examination of those involved in the Strathnaver Clearances. Patrick Sellar, was acquitted by due legal process, but in truth he was not the only person who might be considered either tainted by the episode or even culpable of creating the means, failing to act or benefiting from the outcomes.

The aim of this work is to try and create a bigger picture – a  picture that still remains incomplete, but may stimulate others  who hold missing links and pieces to engage in the debate.

The book is available from Amazon, amongst others.