Scheduled Monument

Culloden Battlefield, Graves of the Clans, Cairn and Well of the DeadSM967

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

Summary

Date Added
30/06/1925
Last Date Amended
08/09/2003
Supplementary Information Updated
17/03/2021
Type
Secular: Culloden monuments
Local Authority
Highland
Parish
Croy And Dalcross, Daviot And Dunlichity
NGR
NH 74222 44979
Coordinates
274222, 844979

Description

The monument comprises the Graves of the Clans, the Memorial Cairn and the Well of the Dead, all on the Culloden battlefield. The elements of the monument are 18th and 19th century in date, relating to the battle itself and to commemoration of it. The elements of the monument are visible as earthworks and upstanding structures. The original scheduling is difficult to interpret on the modern map and excluded the area of the former road (now removed); this re-scheduling clarifies the scheduled area.

The Memorial Cairn, erected in 1881 by Duncan Forbes of Culloden, is c. 5m in diameter and 5m high, constructed of large boulders laid in mortar. One of the stones is inscribed and two plaques are attached. There are signs of cement-mortar repair. The top of the beehive-shaped cairn is overgrown with vegetation.

The grave markers around the site, also erected in 1881, commemorate the Scottish clans involved in the battle. Inscribed stones have not been erected at all of the identified graves. Geophysical survey in 2001 showed that there were graves in the area.

The Well of the Dead is located at the E end of the area. It is rectangular on plan, with dimensions of 0.52 by 0.54m, and is bounded on four sides by boulders and a dressed stone.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the monument described above and an area around it within which related features are likely to survive. It is irregular on plan, with maximum dimensions of 205m ENE-WSE and 85m N-S, and excludes boundary dykes, modern fences and the top 10cm of any existing footpaths.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its place in the national consciousness, as the graves and memorials of the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden, a critical part of Scottish and British history. The graves also have an archaeological value.

References

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by the RCAHMS as Culloden Moor, The Graves of the Clans NH74NW 17.03, Culloden Moor, Well of the Dead NH74NW 20 and Culloden Moor, Battlefield NH74NW 17.00.

The Culloden Moor Memorial Cairn is listed as a Category-A Listed Building.

References:

Brander M 1975, SCOTTISH AND BORDER BATTLES AND BALLADS, 215-217.

Culloden Moor 1962, CULLODEN MOOR AND CLAVA CIRCLES, Edinburgh.

Denison S 1996, NEWS, Britsh Archaeology, 4.

Inverness Courier 1932, INVERNESS COURIER GUIDE TO INVERNESS, CULLODEN MOOR AND CLAVA CIRCLES: THE OFFICIAL GUIDE FOR THE 1932 INVERNESS ADVERTISING BOARD.

Inverness Courier 1939, INVERNESS, CULLODEN MOOR AND CLAVA CIRCLES: THE OFFICIAL GUIDE OF THE INVERNESS COURIER.

National Trust for Scotland, THE BATTLE OF CULLODEN 1747: PICTORIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE BATTLEFIELD TOGETHER WITH A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE ACTION AND SOME DETAILS OF THE TWO ARMIES INVOLVED.

Neighbour T 1995, 'Culloden Battlefield (Inverness and Bona; Daviot and Dunlichty parishes), geophysical surveys', DISCOVERY EXCAV SCOT 39.

Ordnance Survey (Name Book), ORIGINAL NAME BOOKS OF THE ORDNANCE SURVEY, Book No. 18, 25-26.

Pollard T and Oliver N 2001, 'Culloden Battlefield (Croy and Dalcross; Daviot and Dunlichty parishes), geophysical surveys', DISCOVERY EXCAV SCOT Vol. 2, 52.

Pollard T and Oliver N 2002, TWO MEN IN A TRENCH: BATTLEFIELD ARCHAEOLOGY: THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE PAST, 266-285.

Prebble J 1967, CULLODEN.

Prentice R 1967, THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND GUIDE, 151-153.

RCAHMS 1979, THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AND MONUMENTS OF NORTH-EAST INVERNESS, INVERNESS DISTRICT, HIGHLAND REGION, The archaeological sites and monuments of Scotland series, Vol. 8, No. 242, 30, Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

Taylor I C 1996, CULLODEN: A GUIDEBOOK TO THE BATTLEFIELD WITH THE STORY OF THE BATTLE, THE EVENTS LEADING TO IT AND THE AFTERMATH.

Turner R 1994, 'Culloden Battlefield (Croy and Dalcross; Daviot and Dunlichty parishes), 18th-19th century dykes', DISCOVERY EXCAV SCOT 35.

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

Images

There are no images available for this record, you may want to check Canmore for images relating to Culloden Battlefield, Graves of the Clans, Cairn and Well of the Dead

There are no images available for this record.

Search Canmore

Printed: 29/03/2024 05:59