Women in Scotland

Thomas Pennant, who travelled to Scotland at the end of the 18th century, was horrified at the position of women and described them as being used as beasts of burden. "They turn their patient backs to the dung hills and receive in their keises, or baskets, as much as their lords and masters think fit to fling in with their pitchfork, and then trudge to the fields in droves of sixty or seventy." He shouldn't have been surprised: fishwives would trudge the sixteen miles to the market in Peterhead each carrying a load which would take two men to lift; they also carried their husbands to and from their fishing boats to save them getting wet.

Writing in 1498, Don Pedro de Ayalla, the Spanish ambassador to Scotland, commented that Scottish women were "absolute mistresses of their houses, and even of their husbands, in all things concerning the administration of their property, income as well as expenditure". He added that they were "very graceful and handsome", who dressed "much better than the English."

Scots women in the late 17th and early 18th century were very industrious and always spun their own wedding linen; on getting married they spun their own winding sheet. These same women were, however, fond of finery and would buy "trumpery rings" when in need of shoes or stockings.

English travellers were surprised to find that well-bred hostesses, even married women, would kiss their guests goodbye; however even in the 15th century travellers had commented that Scottish women were fair and comely, but inclined to wantonness, "giving their kisses more readily than Italian women their hands." But a watchful eye was kept on the women by the kirk who would have had the ladies come to church in their plaids, which hid any loose dress and their face too, if they could be persuaded.

© 2000 Origins.net and Walter Elliot