Housebuilding could unearth Battle of Culloden relics

Archaeologists suggest artefacts connected to the 279-year-old Battle of Culloden could be unearthed during construction of up to 400 new homes in Inverness.

Developer Springfield Properties has secured outline planning permission to build on farmland near Culloden House, which was Bonnie Prince Charlie’s battlefield headquarters.

Members of the prince’s Jacobite army marched from nearby Culloden Parks to join the fighting against the Duke of Cumberland’s government army.

Highland Council’s historic environment team said the building site had “high potential” for archaeology.

Springfield Properties said it would have an archaeologist on hand if full planning permission was granted for the development at Milton of Culloden.

Charles Edward Stuart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, led a rising in 1745 to win back the thrones of Britain for his father, the exiled James VIII.

The Battle of Culloden on 16 April 1746 saw the prince and his forces face King George II’s government army, led by the Duke of Cumberland, George’s son.

The prince was defeated and about 1,600 men were killed – 1,500 of them Jacobites. It has been described as the last pitched battle to be fought on British soil.

A few days before the battle, Bonnie Prince Charlie commandeered Culloden House as his lodgings and HQ.

It was the home of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, a prominent Scottish judge. Today the property is a hotel.

Culloden Parks was an area of fields enclosed by drystone walls in the grounds of the house.

Some of the walls still survive and experts from public body Historic Environment Scotland examined the site in 2022.

Artefacts recovered from the battlefield in recent years have included lead musket balls and a shoe buckle believed to have belonged to a clan chief.

Highland Council planning officials, in a report to councillors, recommended granting outline planning consent to Springfield Properties with some conditions.

They included monitoring for archaeology related to the battle, and also the remains of a Bronze Age settlement or burial site.

The Bronze Age site is to be left as an open space in the new housing development.

Planning officials said: “The application area is considered to have high archaeological potential.

“A condition to ensure the survey, evaluation, preservation and recording of any archaeological and historic features is recommended.”

Dave Main, Springfield North managing director, said the company was pleased to receive outline planning permission.

He added: “As a Scottish housebuilder established in the Highlands, we greatly value the cultural importance of the surrounding area and have worked closely with the council throughout the planning process.

“In line with our commitment to the site, we will have an archaeologist on hand to ensure any heritage considerations are carefully addressed.”

Opponents to the new development include a local honey business.

Mark Card set up Loch Ness Honey Company 10 years ago, but said it was only over the last three years that farm and woodland at Milton of Culloden, Inverness, had been zoned for housing.

He said it threatened to disrupt the movement of queen bees, which lay all the eggs in the business’s honey-producing hives – of which there are more than 125.

Culloden Community Council has also expressed concerns for bees in a response it has sent to Highland Council.

It acknowledged more affordable housing was needed, but claimed building at Milton of Culloden would also put additional pressures on already overstretched community facilities and lead to the loss of good quality farmland.

Developer Springfield Properties said it was a responsible housebuilder, adding that it would be guided by an ecology survey during construction.