Historical Blackford

Historical Blackford in a bitter January of 1716 along with Auchterarder, Crieff, Muthill and Dunning, the Jacobites under the command of the Earl of Mar burnt all these towns and villages.

This act was in response to the Jacobite indecisive defeat at the Battle of Sheriffmuir near Dunblane. Mar withdrew his forces along Strathearn burning these towns and villages in order to deny the goverment forces both food and shelter. The 1715 uprising owed much to the unpopular Act of Union of 1707 and to the replacement of the House of Stuart, with its ancient ties to Scotland by the House of Hanover. From his base in Perth he soon realised the cause was lost and along with Old Pretender, James, who had set court at Scone near Perth, fled the country.