Culloden Memorial Service

Where: Culloden Visitor Centre - at the Memorial Cairn
When: Saturday nearest 16th April
Time: 10.30am Procession (approx) with Service at 11 am.

 

The Battle of Culloden was fought on 16th April 1746 between the forces of Jacobite Pretender or rightful King (depending on your perspective) Bonnie Prince Charlie and the British Army under King George II’s  son the Duke of Cumberland. It was the final conflict in the Stuart campaign against the Hanoverian Royal House and was the last battle fought on British soil. The Jacobite army, with a high proportion of Highlanders, was crushingly defeated by the government forces; a repressive regime ensued and Scottish life would never be the same again. Every year a service is held at the Memorial Cairn on the Battlefield to remember the dead on both sides of the conflict. Prayers and recitations are said, some in Gaelic, and representatives of numerous groups lay wreaths; members of some of the Clan families also lay flowers on the day at the individual memorial stones where their ancestors fell.

Helpful Hints

If you haven’t visited before, it’s well worth seeing the National Trust For Scotland Visitor Centre which gives a great deal of background information and interpretation of the battle, the build-up and the aftermath; there are many artefacts on show.If you arrive at opening time (9 am) you’ll get a good look around before it gets busy for the service – click the Visitor Centre link below for admission prices etc.If you don’t want to visit the Visitor Centre you can attend the Service free of charge as the Memorial Cairn is on the Moor next to it, which has free open access.

In 2025 it should be on Saturday April 19th (to be confirmed).

The procession from at 10.30 and the service starts at 11 am, lasting around an hour. Part of the service is in Gaelic and  the event is organised by the Gaelic Society of Inverness.

Parking and food & drink are available on site, and relevant books are on sale at the shop.

Click here for the Visitor Centre (which has many links to individual Clan societies and their events) : http://www.nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home/

Click here for the 1745 Association:  http://www.1745association.org.uk

Click here for the Gaelic Society of Inverness: https://www.gsi.org.uk

View this location on the map.