The historical site which saw more than 1,200 people killed in just an hour as Jacobite forces took their final stand now faces another threat.
Left undisturbed for nearly three centuries the Culloden Moor, east of Inverness, Scotland, was the battleground for the the final and brutal confrontation in the Jacobite uprising of 1745.
Now, the war grave site of the last pitched battle fought on British soil, The Battle of Culloden in 1746, faces disturbance once again as recently approved plans make way for the development of 16 luxury homes.
The site at which The Battle of Culloden in 1746 took place is under threat from the development of 16 luxury houses (artist impression of houses pictured above) by Kirkwood Homes
The battleground, east of Inverness, Scotland, was where the last pitched battle was fought on British soil
The site on the Culloden Moor is a symbol of national identity and has been left undisturbed for nearly three centuries
The new houses by Kirkwood Homes now face a backlash from opponents, who are calling for the plans to be given further scrutiny and for the Scottish government to halt the development.
Adding his voice to the growing number of protesters Professor Sir Tom Devine, one of Scotland’s foremost historians, said the bones of soldiers lay scattered across the site making them part of the ‘Culloden war grave’.
This weekend according to The Guardian the University of Edinburgh professor said: ‘It’s a national disgrace that these plans are being waved through.
‘Scotland has a wretched record in preserving its sacred battle sites, but this would be the worst cut of all.’
The Battle of Culloden on April 16 1746 was the final confrontation in the 1945 Jacobite rising and saw Charles Edward Stewart nicknamed ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ try to regain the British throne for the House of Stuart
He chose to confront the enemy at Drummossie Moor on one rain soaked morning and the brutal and bloody battle saw between 1,500 and 2,000 men killed
The Battle of Culloden on April 16 1746 was the final confrontation in the 1945 Jacobite rising.
The rising was an attempt to overthrow the House of Hanover and saw Charles Edward Stewart nicknamed ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ try to regain the British throne for the House of Stuart .
Bonnie Prince Charlie was the grandson of the deposed Catholic King James II and supporters of the deposed king and his descendants were called Jacobites.
After their defeat the Jacobites who managed to escape the battle site were hunted down and killed over the weeks that followed
After failing to gather support in England, the Jacobites retreated to Scotland and Charles, under constant pressure from the King’s army, marched his force further northward, before finally establishing a base at Inverness.
He chose to confront the enemy at Drummossie Moor on one rain soaked morning and fought government forces towards the moorland around Culloden and Drummossie.
The battle lasted no more than an hour and saw the Jacobites face a brutal and bloody defeat.
The Jacobites who managed to escape the battle site were hunted down and killed over the weeks that followed.
Housing developers argue the houses will be on the periphery of the ancient battlefield leaving the site itself undisturbed however protest groups argue the project will drastically alter the historic site
Developers of the new project argue that the buildings will be on the periphery of the ancient battlefield leaving the site itself undisturbed however protest groups argue that the homes will dramatically alter the fundamental character of a national heritage site.
The housing plans were initially rejected by Highland Council but after an appeal by the housing firm, the government official who assessed the builders’ appeal upheld it.
Now, protesters are calling for MSPs to use a new planning bill currently going through Holyrood to address the inequalities between developers and communities and the right for communities to appeal.
A Change.org petition which has gathered nearly 100,000 signatures against the new construction reads: ‘If allowed, this development will affect the area in a dramatic, negative way. Pictured: Site plan of the new 16 luxury houses that will be built on the battlefield site
A Change.org petition which has gathered nearly 100,000 signatures against the new construction reads: ‘If allowed, this development will affect the area in a dramatic, negative way.
‘The area will lose its ability to convey a sense of historical and cultural significance, as a memorial, in which to sit and contemplate, as a place of connection for millions of people around the world.
A demonstration against the 16 luxury homes will now be held at the battlefield on October 13.
BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE’S RISE TO THE THRONE
Bonnie Prince Charlie became an iconic figure for Scots after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745
Charles Edward Stuart, or ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’, was the grandson of the deposed Catholic King James II – who fled to France from William of Orange’s invading army in 1688.
The supporters of the deposed king and his descendants were called ‘Jacobites’, the main stronghold of which was the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
Bonnie Prince Charlie became an iconic figure for Scots after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, where he attempted to take the throne of England by force, but which culminated in his defeat at the battle of Culloden.
Alexander Murray took no part in the Jacobite rising of 1745. But in 1752 Murray was charged with misconduct during a Westminster election.
While in the House of Commons he was ordered to kneel down to receive his sentence, Murray refused, saying: ‘Sir, I beg to be excused; I never kneel but to God’
He was then imprisoned until the end of the session and upon his release he was taken to the house of Lord Elibank where the Elibank plot was hatched.
The plan was to kidnap King George II and other members of the Royal Family on 10 November 1752 and place them on a boat in the Thames that would sail to France.
The sentry system at St James’s Palace was analysed and two or three hundred men were picked to meet at Westminster, though to avoid suspicion they would lodge at separate properties.
On the night that the King would be abducted, they would meet at pre-planned locations, with St James’s being seized, the Tower of London’s gates opened, the guards overwhelmed and the Royal Family smuggled to France.
The plot foundered however partly because Murray and his accomplices could raise the courage to carry it out and partly because every detail of the plot was revealed to the British ministers by a spy who kept them informed of every Jacobite movement that came to his notice during the period.