Rally over Culloden Battlefield homes

Kirkwood Homes has started building 16 homes at Viewhill Farm after securing design approval in May.

Although the properties are being built on the ‘inventory boundary’ – a buffer zone drawn up by Highland Council to protect the actual battlefield – protestors claim the new homes might be built over the bodies of Highlanders who died in the 1746 clash.

Ahead of construction, archaeological work including photographic recordings and metal detecting, was undertaken by a consultant archaeologist, who was appointed by the developer.

Protest leader George Kempick from the Group To Stop The Development at Culloden is convinced an archaeological check “done by just one person” could not be thorough enough.

He said: “We want to make sure anybody who buys a house there realises what they’re buying and knows there could be dead people buried out in their back garden.”

He accepts there is “absolutely no chance of stopping the homes now”, but said it was important to organise a protest.

“It will probably be our biggest one ever,” he said. “

“I’ve never seen so much activity on the group’s Facebook page. As regards to the group, I’m wondering if we did all that we could.

“We should have acted when they demolished the farm buildings. And we probably made other mistakes too.

“But the biggest thing against us has been the lack of interest from the locals in supporting us.”

The rally is at Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre at 10am on Saturday, October 13.