Battle of Culloden Memorial Service

**Redshank** · 19th April 09, 02:02 PM

April 16th 1746, Drumossie Moor, Culloden, Near Inverness saw the last hand to hand battle fought on British soil, the last stand of a Royal lineage that could trace it roots back to the dark ages, it brought a final and bloody end to the Jacobite risings to try and reinstate a Stuart monach to the throne of Britian, the repocusions in the aftermarth of the battle brought about and end the the clan system in Scotland and contributed in parts to the highland clearances and brought about the ban on the wearing of the kilt, the playing of the pipes and the carrying of any weapons for the highlanders.

263 years on, I attended a memorial service at the site of the battle, the following photos tell the story of my trip

A new exhibition centre has been built to house a vastly revamped and impressive collection of artifacts relating to the battle, Caithness slate was used extensively and to great effect in it's construction, the slate blocks protruding from the wall represent those that died in the battle

Memorial paving slaps leading to the entrance of the Exhibition centre

A fitting epitaph

A view of part of the battle field and the memorial cairn

The memorial cairn to the Jacobite lines

The Government lines

The memorial cairn, showing the heather covered moor

The clansmen start to arrive

**Redshank** · 19th April 09, 02:03 PM

Clansmen and women congregate outside the bothy

The bothy was used by the Government troops as a field hospital during the battle, this has been faithfully recreated

Dignitaries arrive

Clansmen proceed to the memorial cairn

A memorial service is held whilst the clansmen congregate around the memorial cairn ready to lay their wreaths

The Clan graves where not forgotten, ancestors payed their respects

A couple pose at the memorial cairn after the service

My good friend McNeill of Glenbranter, a member of Na Fild Dileas (The Loyal Men)

These are just a few of the photo's I took, many are variants of the above, but if anyone is interested I have ones of each of the clan graves.

We travelled up throuhg Glencoe stopping to take photos along the way, then up past Loch Laggan and through the Cairngorms, and visited the awesome Fort George the day after the service.

Thanks for looking

Chris

**English Bloke** · 19th April 09, 02:30 PM

Cracking pictures Chris. Not been to Culloden yet but it is on my list. Looks like a great day. Nice mixture of solemn and fun.

Thanks for posting.

**cessna152towser** · 19th April 09, 02:42 PM

Brilliant shots, thanks for sharing.
Almost five years to the day since I was last at Culloden (April 11, 2004) there were a few clan re-enactors there that day also.