New image of Culloden revealed on battle’s 275th anniversary as electronic mapping creates previously unseen picture of Jacobite’s last stand
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National Trust for Scotland has unveiled the most detailed map created so far of Culloden Battlefield to mark the 275th anniversary of the battle.
The electronic maps use the latest Geographic Information Software and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) analysis to allow maps and information to be layered on top of each other.
This provides an unrivalled insight into the topography of the site of the battle and allows historians to consider the events of April 16, 1746, in a whole new light.
The maps were unveiled today, as part of an online programme to commemorate the battle. To find out more visit here.
Derek Alexander, the trust’s head of archaeology, said: “These maps give us the most detailed understanding currently possible of how the landscape looked in 1746.
"Thanks to 21st Century technology, we can use these to get a feel for what soldiers on the battlefield would actually have been able to see of their opponents, their positions and their weaponry.
"In terms of understanding the tactics and the outcome, it’s a really powerful tool.”
The maps have been created by AOC Archaeology, and also include layers that show where archaeological excavations have happened over the years and the objects that have been found there.
Raoul Curtis-Machin, operations manager at Culloden said: “These maps aren’t just for the past, they’ll also help us to protect Culloden for the future. Their detailed information gives us a clear understanding of how the site has been altered through building and development over the centuries, all of which is invaluable as we strive to retain all that is special about this site that is of such significance to Scotland’s story.”
The battlefield is under greater threat than ever from developments, and there has been an 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 site of the UK’s last pitched battle, it is launching Culloden’s Fighting Fund.
Mr Curtis-Machin said: “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 we 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.
• 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.
The Battle of Culloden, which took place on April 16, 1746, was the final Jacobite rising which came to a brutal head in one of the most harrowing battles in British history.
Jacobite supporters, seeking to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British thrones, gathered to fight the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops.
It was the last pitched battle on British soil and, in less than an hour, around 1600 men were slain – 1500 of them Jacobites.
Culloden Battlefield is accessible to local visitors in line with current Scottish Government restrictions. The visitor centre is planned to reopen on April 30 – restrictions permitting.
For more information on the battle, and the centre, visit here.
