Event with Prof Whatley, the author of Harvie’s Dyke, on 15 October

On Wednesday 15 October 2025 at 1pm, Professor Christopher Whatley will deliver a presentation about his latest publication, Harvie’s Dyke: The People, their Liberty and the Clyde (published by John Donald (Birlinn), 2025).

The book documents the story of Glasgow Distiller Thomas Harvie’s ultimately unsuccessful attempt to obstruct access along the north bank of the River Clyde to the east of the increasingly industrialised city, by way of a massive, fortified wall that came to be known as ‘Harvie’s Dyke’. The saga is important as a significant legal case, whereby a public right of way was successfully asserted in the face of trenchant opposition by a land owner. It is also an interesting historical episode in itself, relating to a triumph of the working classes seeking access to nature and the outdoors against a well-funded opponent, at a moment when radicalism was still evident in Scotland.

The event has been co-organised by Strathclyde Law School, the Department of History, and the Communities, Societies and States Research Group.

Professor Whatley will be introduced by our Malcolm Combe, the author of The ScotWays Guide to the Law of Access to Land in Scotland (also published by John Donald (Birlinn)).

Further background about the book, together with details of a future presentation by Professor Whatley at ScotWays' AGM in November 2025, can be found on the ScotWays website. 

This is an on-campus event. If you are interested in attending, please email malcolm.combe@strath.ac.uk for details.