Working the land

The use of steam ploughing was never viable in these harsh geographic conditions. The stony ground required a huge amount of preparatory work before ploughing could even begin, and the engines were too cumbersome and heavy for the hilly, boggy terrain.

A huge number of workers, mainly local workers, were employed to assist in the work. Problems with engaging them can be attributed to their pragmatic and skeptical view of the work – many continued to use more primitive methods independently with better results. Despite vast expense and limited effectiveness, huge sums of money were invested over a considerable period in the design, development and implementation of the Sutherland plough (Roberts, 1880). While the results were impressive, in hindsight it was always doomed to failure. The application of a rapidly emerging technology, the political and economic tumult of the Industrial Revolution, the range of stakeholders involved, and the Duke’s singular personality make this a rich example to unpick the many social, personal and environmental issues that form part of a cultural landscape, and can impinge on motivation for product innovation.