The Fair Maid of Perth is loosely based on a staged battle at North Inch in Perth in 1396 which left 48 men dead, after two feuding clans fought each other in front of a group of spectators, which included King Robert III of Scotland.
Against this historical background, the novel tells the story of the ‘Fair Maid’, Catherine Glover, and her various suitors. Although she is only the daughter of a glovemaker in Perth, Catherine catches the eye of the heir to the throne and she and her true love, Henry Gow, become embroiled in royal intrigue and highland feuds in a tale of high drama.
Scottish writer and poet, Sir Walter Scott (1771 – 1832), was extremely popular in the 19th Century for his swashbuckling historical adventures, often set in Scotland. He is best remembered today for the novels Rob Roy and Ivanhoe.
