Scottish Blog

The Kailyard School is a form of writing that originated in Scotland.

With the rapid increase in the stresses of modern life it is hard not to fall into a certain amount of nostalgia about the past and times of greater unity and Scottish Clan spirit. The Kailyard School is exactly a product of such thought. It is said that the term “Kailyard School” originates from the Scottish term “Kailyard”, which refers to a small cabbage patch adjacent to small rural cottages.

Near the end of the nineteenth century, a number of Scottish writers and prominent figures in the world of literature grew despondent with the harsh and unpleasant view being painted of Scottish life by many poets. They began to actively publish works with a more sentimental and positive view.

There are mixed opinions on the Kailyard School of writing. To some it came as a refreshing and much welcome change. While others saw it as a overly-simplified and sadly sentimental view of old Scottish rural life. Other criticisms were that the Kailyard School completely ignored any real problems that people were affected by. For these reasons, it is said that the writers of the Scottish renaissance specifically avoided this style of writing.

There have been a number of writers who follow the Kailyard School of literature. Amongst these, one of the most prominent was J.M. Barrie, who was also credited with creating the literary character of Peter Pan. Other figures in the Kailyard School have included J.J. Bell, George MacDonald, S.R. Crockett and Ian Malaren.