BattlefieldsLewis crofter deer forest resistance 1887
modern

Lewis crofter deer forest resistance 1887

1887
Scotland
Era
modern
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
the Matheson estate and eventually against government legal enforcement.
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Pairc district crofters raiding the Park deer forest
Outcome
Deer raid carried out successfully. Government gunboat HMS Jackal dispatched but raid participants dispersed. Several leaders prosecuted but sympathetic press coverage undermined prosecution. Deer forest question raised in Parliament.
The Battle

History & Significance

Lewis crofters raided and occupied the Park deer forest in the Pairc district in 1887, hunting deer to feed their families and protest the conversion of traditional grazing land into deer forest. The Park Deer Raid attracted national attention and the government dispatched a gunboat to suppress the action.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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