Episode 8: Power and Protest in Scotland – 1714 to 1785

In Episode 9, Professor Alison Cathcart (University of Stirling) discusses who held power in Scotland in 1714 and how the Union with England, together with the arrival of the Hanoverian dynasty, transformed the nation. She examines the central role of the Church of Scotland, the influence of the Royal Burghs, and the far‑reaching consequences of the Jacobite uprisings and the Highland Clearances.

Professor Cathcart also traces the sweeping economic changes that unfolded across Scotland during the period and considers the country’s role within the British Empire. She concludes by reflecting on just how dramatically Scotland had transformed by 1785 compared with the Scotland of 1714.

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