Folio Archives 99: Glencoe & Culloden by John Prebble 1996
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1wcarter
Glencoe & Culloden by John Prebble 1996
If you have any Scottish heritage, or any interest in Scottish history, you should own these books.
In 1996 the Folio Society produced a beautiful two volume history of the massacre of Glencoe and the Battle of Culloden. The turbulent history surrounding these events is superbly explained in a very readable format by one of the foremost Scottish historians, John Prebble. The events at Glencoe have become legendary as an episode of appalling treachery, while the Battle of Culloden changed the way of life in the Highlands forever.
Glencoe is 262 pages with a clan family tree, a descriptive list of characters, a chronology, details of the relevant military orders and staff, sources, acknowledgements, bibliography and index at the back of the book. There is a 5 page introduction by John Prebble and 12 engravings by Harry Brockway.
Culloden is 309 pages with an appendix outlining the King’s army, acknowledgements, sources; and an index at back of the book. There are another 12 engravings by Harry Brockway.
Both books are bound in image blocked cloth with a gilt spine label. The endpapers are plain dark red, and there is a two-volume dark red slipcase 23.5x15.5cm. with a gilt title on the front.
A brochure for the set can be downloaded here.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
If you have any Scottish heritage, or any interest in Scottish history, you should own these books.
In 1996 the Folio Society produced a beautiful two volume history of the massacre of Glencoe and the Battle of Culloden. The turbulent history surrounding these events is superbly explained in a very readable format by one of the foremost Scottish historians, John Prebble. The events at Glencoe have become legendary as an episode of appalling treachery, while the Battle of Culloden changed the way of life in the Highlands forever.
Glencoe is 262 pages with a clan family tree, a descriptive list of characters, a chronology, details of the relevant military orders and staff, sources, acknowledgements, bibliography and index at the back of the book. There is a 5 page introduction by John Prebble and 12 engravings by Harry Brockway.
Culloden is 309 pages with an appendix outlining the King’s army, acknowledgements, sources; and an index at back of the book. There are another 12 engravings by Harry Brockway.
Both books are bound in image blocked cloth with a gilt spine label. The endpapers are plain dark red, and there is a two-volume dark red slipcase 23.5x15.5cm. with a gilt title on the front.
A brochure for the set can be downloaded here.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2Jayked
There's also a companion volume on The Highland Clearances. Some of the snootier academic historians sniff at some of Prebble's methods, but I'd read him over them any day.
3skullduggery
>2 Jayked: Yes, my FS Prebble boxed set was released later (I think in 2002) as ‘The Highland Trilogy’ and includes all 3 books.
4wcarter
Glencoe and Culloden were reissued, and Highland Clearances first published, as individual volumes and as a set in 2003.
5SimB
Another Folio Book of interest of those times is "A Memoir of the Forty Five".
Its a long time since I updated my folio book website, but there are some pictures of this little gem.
https://foliosocietybooks.typepad.com/blog/2011/04/a-memoir-of-the-forty-five.ht...
Its a long time since I updated my folio book website, but there are some pictures of this little gem.
https://foliosocietybooks.typepad.com/blog/2011/04/a-memoir-of-the-forty-five.ht...
6boldface
>5 SimB:
A gem indeed, both in content and as a fine example of the 'classic' folio edition. If anyone's interested in acquiring this, you should know that there are actually two editions: the original 1958 production and a revised second edition of 1970. I ended up having both because, on the one hand, the revised text of 1970 is preferable, but on the other the black and white illustrations are very slightly sharper in the 1958 printing, with a shade more depth. If I had a third hand, I'd go on to say that you can never have too many nice bindings! Both, by the way, have "1958" on the title page, the second edition only being defined overleaf on the copyright page. The beautiful bindings are identical in design, based on "an Edinburgh binding of the period in the possession of the National Library of Scotland", but, again, the 1958 edition is slightly higher quality, being embossed on the front board, whereas the 1970 version is not.
A gem indeed, both in content and as a fine example of the 'classic' folio edition. If anyone's interested in acquiring this, you should know that there are actually two editions: the original 1958 production and a revised second edition of 1970. I ended up having both because, on the one hand, the revised text of 1970 is preferable, but on the other the black and white illustrations are very slightly sharper in the 1958 printing, with a shade more depth. If I had a third hand, I'd go on to say that you can never have too many nice bindings! Both, by the way, have "1958" on the title page, the second edition only being defined overleaf on the copyright page. The beautiful bindings are identical in design, based on "an Edinburgh binding of the period in the possession of the National Library of Scotland", but, again, the 1958 edition is slightly higher quality, being embossed on the front board, whereas the 1970 version is not.
7The_Toad_Revolt_of84
I've had this set in my Amazon cart for two weeks, since I previewed the book on Archive. I haven't purchased it, because the price is too good to be true. The writing seems fantastic, I'm nowhere near qualified to judge the research but thanks to you Warwick I'll happily add this to my collection.
8wcarter
>7 The_Toad_Revolt_of84:
Delighted to have enabled you! Enjoy the book.
Delighted to have enabled you! Enjoy the book.
9LesMiserables
>1 wcarter: Yes, a nice set. I managed to get a duplicate set somehow.
>5 SimB: >6 boldface: I too, recommend this. Thrilling read.
I would also recommend the 2 vol. History of Scotland set by Knox and Houston: outstanding.
>5 SimB: >6 boldface: I too, recommend this. Thrilling read.
I would also recommend the 2 vol. History of Scotland set by Knox and Houston: outstanding.
10Chawton
Some years Radio 4 broadcast a documentary on the Battle of Culloden.
The highlight for me was an interview with one of the official guides at the site of the battle.
She explained that she often has to break the news to overseas visitors with Scottish surnames who imagine a Highlander background … that indeed they do have ancestors who fought at Culloden … but they were Lowland Scots who fought for the Crown and against the Stuart or Highlander side.
Celtic phony history is usually good for a laugh.
The highlight for me was an interview with one of the official guides at the site of the battle.
She explained that she often has to break the news to overseas visitors with Scottish surnames who imagine a Highlander background … that indeed they do have ancestors who fought at Culloden … but they were Lowland Scots who fought for the Crown and against the Stuart or Highlander side.
Celtic phony history is usually good for a laugh.
11Jayked
> 10
I would take with a large pinch of salt anything said by an official guide at any historic site. Not all of Scotland north of the Tay was geographically highland, nor was Catholicism the dominant religion, or celtic the only ethnic origin. For a different view try https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/7-myths-about-the-battle-of-cullode...
I would take with a large pinch of salt anything said by an official guide at any historic site. Not all of Scotland north of the Tay was geographically highland, nor was Catholicism the dominant religion, or celtic the only ethnic origin. For a different view try https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/7-myths-about-the-battle-of-cullode...
