IT was the battle that helped to shape Scotland but, 275 years on, it is fighting a silent foe.
The National Trust for Scotland is to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Culloden next week online because of the pandemic.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s arrival in Scotland ignited the 1745 Jacobite uprising, which in turn reached a tragic conclusion on Culloden Moor on April 16,1746.
The final confrontation of the Jacobite rebellion, it was the last large-scale pitched battle fought on British soil and, for many sources, the last battle of any sort fought in Great Britain.
It was also one of the most harrowing battles in British history. Jacobite supporters, seeking to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British throne, gathered on the moor to fight the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops. In less than one hour, around 1,600 men had been slain – 1,500 of them Jacobites.
Now, the NTS – which is responsible for the battlefield near Inverness – has shared its plans to reveal some of the latest historical and archaeological research to mark the 275th anniversary of the conflict with a series of online events next Saturday.
Working with historians, archaeologists and local partners, the Gaelic Society of Inverness and XPO North, the Trust has created a thought-provoking programme to share the latest research and to promote the protection of the battlefield.
Events begin at 11am with a special service to remember the events of the battle and the many who fell.
Talks by historian Professor Christopher Duffy and archaeologist Derek Alexander will consider the significance of the latest map and LIDAR (light detection and ranging) analysis of the site and its impact on our understanding of the battle, while art historian Count Peter Pininski will reveal insights into the real character of Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Planning for the online programme started in April last year when live commemorative events could not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
NationalTrust for Scotland operations manager for Culloden, Raoul Curtis-Machin, said: “We are really excited about the latest LIDAR analysis and historical research.
“Having a better understanding of Culloden Moor’s boggy uneven terrain will help inform the physical challenges faced by the Jacobites. We look forward to welcoming people from all over the globe as we remember April 16, 1746, and consider how it continues to resonate, almost three centuries on.”
The battlefield is under greater threat than ever from developments, and there will be interactive debate and discussion about how it can be better protected through Culloden 300, a trust initiative which seeks to establish how people would like the site to look in 2046, 300 years after the battle.
To help the conservation charity respond to the ongoing challenge of protecting and preserving the integrity of the site of the UK’s last pitched land battle, it has launched Culloden’s Fighting Fund.
Mr Curtis-Machin added: “As a charity, we rely on voluntary income and a donation to Culloden’s Fighting Fund will help us conserve and protect the moor for future generations.”
Donations will enable the trust to continue to fight future development proposals that would encroach on the battlefield, ensuring it can protect this significant place for Scottish heritage.
Culloden Battlefield is regularly threatened by residential and commercial developments and the trust has recently objected to three residential housing plans.
The charity also aims to educate children across Scotland and beyond about the importance of the Jacobite Rising and how Culloden changed the course of European history.
It also helps care for the animals who graze the battlefield’s grasses to ensure the moor doesn’t become overgrown.
A small herd of goats, ponies and Highland and Shetland cows keep the grass trim, just as they would have done years ago, ensuring the site looks as it did would have in the 18th century.
Earlier this year plans to convert a Victorian steading at Culloden Battlefield into a family home were refused by Highland councillors – despite a pitched battle between conservation organisations.
The ancient steading is within the Culloden Moor conservation area and the Inventory of Historic Battlefields areas.
The full programme and booking information is available at https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/culloden-275 .
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