author
William Grant Stewart
Best known for preserving Highland folklore in print, this 19th-century Scottish writer captured the beliefs, customs, and festive traditions of the Highlands in vivid detail. His work remains a lively window into a world of fairies, omens, and community celebration.
1 Audiobook
The popular superstitions and festive amusements of the Highlanders of Scotland
by William Grant Stewart
About the author
Born in Banffshire in 1797, William Grant Stewart was a Scottish writer and served as factor of Urquhart. Records available through Wikisource and Wikidata identify him as a Highland-related author who died on December 11, 1869, at Drumnadrochit.
He is best remembered for The Popular Superstitions and Festive Amusements of the Highlanders of Scotland, first published in 1823. The book gathers beliefs, legends, and seasonal customs from Highland life, helping preserve material that might otherwise have been lost.
His writing still appeals to readers interested in folklore, social history, and the imagination of the Scottish Highlands. Stewart’s work is especially valued for the way it brings everyday traditions and old supernatural beliefs into the same picture.