THE BATTLE OF CULLODEN
Fought near Inverness in Scotland on 16th April 1746, the Battle of Culloden was the climax of the Jacobite Rising.
The forces of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, attempting to reclaim the throne for his family – met a British army led by the Duke of Cumberland, son of the Hanoverian King George II.
The battle was over in an hour, and finally settled a contest for the monarchy that had lasted almost 60 years.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 of Prince Charles Edward’s men were killed.
The casualties on Cumberland’s side were significantly lower – 50 dead and 259 wounded.
However one thing still remains….
Situated on the grounds of the Culloden Battlefield lies Leanach cottage.
It still stands solitary on the battlefield, where the Jacobite dream of restoring the Stuarts to the throne ended.
During the battle itself, it sat on the side of the government lines, and may have served as a hospital for the battle wounded.
Following Culloden there were several periods of occupation.
After falling into disrepair, Leanach Cottage was rebuilt in the early 19th century.
The cottage became a symbol for the battlefield, and the people who lived there became the site’s first tour guides.
The stoic little cottage with its stone walls, small windows and thatched roof, was inhabited until 1912.
The last occupant of Leanach Cottage was Belle MacDonald who lived here until she died.
It was then donated to the National Trust of Scotland in 1944 by Hector Forbes, the local land owner.
The National Trust of Scotland used it as their original visitor centre for the battlefield, even restoring the roof to its former glory to make it even more historically accurate.
According to the conservation charity, the thatching was made from heather sourced from the battlefield, and built by local tradesmen.
It was eventually closed in the early 2000s when the new modern visitor centre was opened.
It is now a temporary exhibition space for visitors to discover more about Culloden’s heritage.
This stoic little cottage still stands on the Culloden battlefield.
Image: Paulo62
