Battle of Culloden's 275th anniversary to be marked through online events, says National Trust for Scotland
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE Battle of Culloden's landmark 275th anniversary is to be marked by a range of digital events next month, the National Trust for Scotland has announced.
The charity, which looks after the battlefield site, has shared plans to reveal some of the latest historical and archaeological research when the anniversary takes place in April.
There will be a series of online events on Saturday, April 17. Events begin at 11am with a special service to remember the events of April 16, 1746 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. Art historian Count Peter Pininski will also reveal insights into the real character of Charles Edward Stuart, the driving force behind the 1745 uprising which ended at Culloden.
Planning for the online programme started in April last year when physical commemorative events could not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
National Trust 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 full programme and booking information is available at www.nts.org.uk/stories/culloden-275.
Meanwhile the National Trust for Scotland has launched a fundraiser – Culloden's Fighting Fund – to help it respond to the "ongoing challenge of protecting and preserving the site.
"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," added a spokesman.
For more details visit www.nts.org.uk/campaigns/cullodens-fighting-fund.
Raoul adds: “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.”
He said that donations will:
- Enable the Trust to continue to fight future development proposals that would encroach on the battlefield.
- Help educate children across Scotland and beyond about the importance of the Jacobite Rising and how Culloden changed the course of European history.
- Help care for the animals who graze the battlefield to ensure the moor doesn’t become overgrown. A small herd of goats, ponies and Highland and Shetland cows keep the grass short, just as they would have done years ago, ensuring that the site looks as it would have in the 18th century.
Culloden Battlefield is accessible to local visitors in line with current Scottish Government restrictions. The visitor centre is currently closed.
For more information on the battle, and the centre, visit www.nts.org.uk.
