Culloden
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Culloden is a flat, marshy tract of land ringed by alders and buffeted by the wind. It was here in the northeastern corner of Drumossie Moor on April 16, 1746 that the last great battle was fought on Scottish soil. The fate of the "Stuarts" was determined once and for all and the incorporation of Scotland into England was cast in stone.
Culloden Map
Important Information:
Official site:
www.nts.org.uk/culloden/
Opening hours:
Jan 24 to Mar 31: 10am-4pm
Apr 1 to Sep 30: 9am-6pm
Oct 1 to Oct 31: 9am-5pm
Nov 1 to Dec 23: 10am-4pm
Apr 1 to Sep 30: 9am-6pm
Oct 1 to Oct 31: 9am-5pm
Nov 1 to Dec 23: 10am-4pm
Entrance fee in GBP:
Family £24.00, Adult £10.00, Concession or reduced rate £7.50
Useful tips: Battlefield open daily, all year. Hours refer to the visitor centre.
Disability Access: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
Facilities: Wheelchair loan or rental
Related Attractions
Visitor Centre
Donations and sales at a nominal sum enabled The National Trust for Scotland to acquire this battlefield site between 1937 and 1959. Bit by bit it has been restored to the state it was in during the 18th century. The Visitor Center has been extended more than once in order to meet the requirements of the many tourists who visit this historic site. The audio-visual presentation portrays "Bonnie Prince Charlie" as an irresponsible adventurer rather than as a romantic hero.
Memorials
On both sides of the old road (laid out in Victorian times and widened by the NTS) lie the gravestones of the Scottish clans which Duncan Forbes, the owner of Culloden House, erected in 1881. He was also responsible for the 20ft/6m high memorial stone which commemorates the Battle of Culloden. On the nearest Saturday to the date of the battle, the Gaelic Society in Inverness holds a service beside this memorial to remember the battle and those who died in it.Old Leanach Cottage, the last farmer's cottage from the days of the battle has been faithfully restored and the melancholic sound of the Gaelic folk song "Mo run gealog" (My beautiful young darling) drifts from its rooms. Cumberland Stone marks the spot at the eastern edge of the battlefield where the Duke of Cumberland is said to have issued the orders to his troops. The whole field is strewn with stones which bear witness to the dead. For example, the Keppoch Stone (accessible from the northern footpath) indicates the spot where Alastair MacDonell the head of the Keppoch clan fell, and another recalls the Irish Wild Geese (mercenaries in the service of the French crown who fought on the side of the Highlanders). The "English Stone" (west of Old Leanach Cottage) commemorates the dead who fought alongside Cumberland.
Clava Cairns
Clava Cairns on the south side of the River Nairn have nothing to do with the battle. The mounds of stone surrounded by stone rings probably date from ca. 1800-1500 B.C. and are among the best preserved of their kind in Scotland.
Battle Site
Culloden was the site for the clash between Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Duke of Cumberland on April 16, 1746. Though Charles lost many of his Scotsmen in a short period of time, he was not harmed.
Map - Culloden
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