Battle of Culloden's 275th anniversary to be marked online
BBC NewsWednesday 7th April 2021
The 275th anniversary of Culloden is to be marked in a series of online events
The battle on 16 April 1746 saw forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie defeated by the Duke of Cumberland's government army.
Fought near Inverness, it involved the deaths of about 1,600 men - 1,500 of them Jacobites.
The events will include talks from archaeologists and historians and a discussion on how the site might look by the time of its 300th anniversary.
Culloden - the last pitched battle fought on British soil - is usually marked with a service at the battlefield, but this has not been possible due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The series of online commemorations organised by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), Gaelic Society of Inverness and creative digital initiative Xpo North will begin with a service on 16 April.
It will later be followed by talks by historian Prof Christopher Duffy and archaeologist Derek Alexander on the latest map analysis and light detection and ranging (Lidar) surveys of the site.
Art historian Count Peter Pininski will also give a talk on Bonnie Prince Charlie.
NTS operations manager for Culloden, Raoul Curtis-Machin, said: "We are really excited about the latest Lidar analysis and historical research.
"Having a better understanding of Culloden Moor's boggy uneven terrain will help inform the physical challenges faced by the Jacobites."
He added: "We look forward to welcoming people from all over the globe as we remember 16 April 1746, and consider how it continues to resonate, almost three centuries on."
Recent years have seen concerns about development on, or close to, parts of the battlefield, which extends beyond the area managed by NTS.
The trust has suggested Unesco World Heritage status could be sought to offer better protection from housing developments encroaching on the site.
Battle of Culloden's 275th anniversary to be marked online
Historians and archaeologists will mark the anniversary of the 1746 battle with events online because of the pandemic.
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