Leanach Cottage is more than it seems.
During the battle, a similar cottage stood on this spot and served as a field hospital for Government soldiers. Over time, the cottage has seen many changes.
After falling into disrepair, Leanach Cottage was rebuilt in the early 19th century. The cottage became a symbol for the battlefield, and the people who lived there became the site’s first tour guides. The cottage’s last resident, Mrs Annabelle Cameron (née Belle Macdonald) moved out in 1912 and the cottage stood empty.
In 1944, Leanach Cottage was given to the National Trust for Scotland by Hector Forbes, the landowner. In the early 1960s, the cottage became the first ‘museum’ at Culloden Battlefield.In 1970, a new visitor centre opened beside Leanach Cottage, later became a ‘Living History experience’ with costumed interpretation and presentations.
The only other home on the battlefield was a cottage built in 1925 – the daffodils that were in its garden still bloom each spring. At other points, there was a tearoom and even a petrol station. These buildings are no longer there.
Today, Leanach Cottage houses temporary exhibitions relating to the battlefield. These exhibitions cover current research including new archaeological discoveries, people’s connection to the battlefield and the threats to the battlefield in modern times.
Thatching on the cottage is made from heather that was collected from the battlefield and then crafted together by local tradesmen, whilst the walls are a mixture of stone and turf.
