Is e monadh fiadhaich Chùil Lodair an t-àite far an robh am blàr mòr mu dheireadh air talamh Bhreatainn agus far an bheil 1,500 saighdearan Seumasach agus 50 saighdearan an Riaghaltais a shabaidich agus a bhàsaich an seo ann an 1746 air an tiodhlacadh. An-diugh, faodaidh tu coiseachd air loidhnichean nan arm agus uaighean nan saighdearan fhaicinn ri taobh a’ chàrn cuimhneachaidh ann am meadhan an raon blàir.
Tha brataichean a’ riochdachadh loidhnichean aghaidh an dà arm agus a’ sealltainn cho mòr ’s a bha am blàr, agus anns a’ mheadhan tha comharran cinnidh a’ comharrachadh uaighean nan daoine a chaidh a mharbhadh.
Mar phàirt den obair glèidhteachais againn air an làraich, bidh sinn ag obair gu cruaidh gus an talamh a thoirt air ais cho fad ’s as urrainn dhuinn dhan staid anns an robh e anns an 18mh linn. Ag obair còmhla ri sgioba nan Goireasan againn, tha gobhair agus bà Shealtainneach againn a bhios a’ feurachadh air an fhearann mar a bhiodh iad bho chionn fhada.
Tha cruth-tìre sònraichte Chùil Lodair cuideachd na dhachaigh do dh’iomadh seòrsa fiadh-bheatha, nam measg uiseagan (a tha an dà chuid a’ fuireach agus a’ briodadh air an raon blàir) agus bratagan leòmainn-tìgear gàrraidh - tha iad sin air a bhith a’ crìonadh bho na 1970an ach tha iad air àite a lorg dhaibh fhèin ann an Cùil Lodair.
’S e àite àlainn a th’ ann an gàrradh-mullaich agus dail flùraichean fiadhaich Chùil Lodair. Bidh neòineanan-mòra (leucanthemum vulgare), caorag lèana (lychnis flos-cuculi) agus fiatghail (vicia sativa) a’ gluasad sa ghaoith fhad ’s a bhios tu a’ faighinn sealladh 360-puing den raon blàir.
Archaeology
There are still many discoveries waiting to be unearthed on the battlefield. This landscape has been lived in for over 4,000 years. The Battle of Culloden only lasted for 1 hour. Searching for remains from the battle is like looking for a needle in a haystack. In addition, there has been continued agricultural use of the land since 1746. People also visited the site in Victorian times, regularly taking ‘souvenirs’ away with them.
There are many accounts of the battle – some were written down immediately, other years later. The opposing sides have very different perspectives on what happened. To try and get an accurate picture, we use forensic evidence to recreate what happened on the day. The archaeological remains, along with historical records, give a snapshot of the battle.
What we have found in recent years has changed some of what we thought we knew. When the present visitor centre was constructed in 2007, care was taken to choose an area of the battlefield where there was little chance of disturbing archaeological remains. Testing was done. The location was believed to line up with the second Government line, where the embankment stands today. However, excavations undertaken in 2021 revealed substantial evidence to suggest the second Government line was in fact almost 200m behind the berm, on the other side of the road to the car park.
We know there is more to discover, and we are excited about what we will find out next.
