Book description
Having won the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, Oliver Cromwell, Lord
Protector of England, sought to bring Scotland also under his
protectorate. When he eventually returned to England, leaving General
George Monk in command, one of the Roundhead officers left behind was
Colonel James Stansfield, who was made 'governor' of Haddingtonshire.
Stansfield befriended two Haddingtonshire lairds whom he had captured at
Dunbar, Patrick, Lord Elibank and George Hepburn of Monkrigg; and the
three of them worked together to establishing cloth-mills at Haddington,
making use of the great quantities of wool from the sheep-strewn
Lammermuir Hills. This enterprise grew and acheived nationwide
importance. But it also produced dramatic consequences and unforeseen
developments for the trio. One of Scotland's best-loved authors, Nigel
Tranter wrote over ninety novels on Scottish history. He died at the age
of ninety on 9 January 2000.
