Outlander: Time Travel, Jacobites and Tourism
Contents
A Second World War nurse touches a standing stone in the Highlands in 1945 and finds herself in 1743, caught up in the Jacobite risings and falling in love with a Highland warrior. Outlander, the novels by the American author Diana Gabaldon, first published in 1991, and the television series made in Scotland from 2014, have sold millions of books and drawn huge numbers of visitors to Scottish castles and villages. They have also been criticised for romanticising Highland history. This card examines the "Outlander effect".
TL;DR
- established Outlander is a series of historical novels by Diana Gabaldon, an American author, beginning with Outlander in 1991. The heroine, Claire Randall, travels from 1945 to 1743 through standing stones.
- established A television adaptation produced for the US network Starz began in 2014 and was filmed largely in Scotland, with studios at Wardpark in Cumbernauld.
- established Filming locations include Doune Castle, Culross, Midhope Castle, Blackness Castle and Falkland, many of which have seen large increases in visitor numbers.
- established The story features the Jacobite rising of 1745 and the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Visitor numbers at Culloden rose after the series aired.
- shared Critics have accused the series of romanticising the Jacobites and simplifying Highland history; supporters argue it has encouraged interest in Scottish history and Gaelic.
Key Facts
- Author
- Diana Gabaldon (American)
- First novel
- Outlander, 1991
- Premise
- 1945 nurse travels to 1743 Scotland
- TV series
- Starz, from 2014
- Studios
- Wardpark, Cumbernauld
- Locations
- Doune Castle, Culross, Midhope Castle, Blackness Castle, Falkland
- History
- The Jacobite rising and Culloden
- Effect
- Large increases in visitors to filming locations
A Note on Claims and Evidence
Each major claim carries one of three labels. established means supported by primary records, official bodies or several independent reliable sources. shared means the core fact is sound but sources disagree on details, dates or interpretation. traditional means widely repeated but not traceable to a primary or independent source.
Visitor number increases are reported by VisitScotland, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, and vary by site. Sales figures for the books come from the publisher.
Timeline
Outlander published.
Further novels in the series.
Television series premieres.
Visitor numbers rise at filming locations.
Details
The novels
established Diana Gabaldon, an American scientist turned novelist, published Outlander in 1991. Claire Randall, a former army nurse on a second honeymoon in the Highlands in 1945, touches a stone in a circle and is transported to 1743. She meets Jamie Fraser, a young Highlander, and is drawn into the Jacobite cause. Later novels follow them through Culloden, to America and beyond.
The series
established Starz began broadcasting a television adaptation in 2014, starring Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan, a Scottish actor. It was filmed largely in Scotland, with a studio at Wardpark in Cumbernauld, and used many historic buildings and landscapes as locations. It includes Gaelic dialogue and songs.
The Outlander effect
established Locations used in the series, such as Doune Castle (Castle Leoch), the village of Culross (Cranesmuir), Midhope Castle (Lallybroch), Blackness Castle and Falkland in Fife, saw large increases in visitors. Culloden Battlefield also reported rising visitor numbers. VisitScotland has promoted Outlander tourism, and fans from around the world tour Scotland.
Romanticised history?
shared Historians have criticised the series for presenting the Jacobites as heroic freedom fighters and the British government as purely villainous, simplifying a complex civil war in which many Scots fought on the government side. Defenders argue it is fiction, and that it has inspired many viewers to learn more about Scottish history. Some sites have struggled with overcrowding.
Did You Know?
- Outlander's author is American.
- The heroine travels through standing stones.
- Doune Castle doubled as Castle Leoch.
- The series was filmed at studios in Cumbernauld.
- Visitor numbers at Culloden rose after the series aired.
FAQ
1What is Outlander?
A series of time-travel novels and a TV series set partly in eighteenth-century Scotland.
2Who wrote it?
Diana Gabaldon, an American author.
3Where was it filmed?
Largely in Scotland, including Doune Castle and Culross.
4Is it historically accurate?
It is fiction, and historians say it romanticises the Jacobites.
5What is the Outlander effect?
The rise in tourism to filming locations.
Sources and Further Reading
Primary/Institutional
- VisitScotland, Outlander filming locations
Scholarly/Critical
- Murray Pittock, Culloden (Oxford University Press, 2016)
Caveats: Myths and Disputed Claims
- Do not treat the series as a historical account of the Jacobites.
- Do not quote visitor increases without a current source.
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