Old Leanach Cottage: A Field Hospital For Government Forces During The Battle Of Culloden

Old Leanach Cottage is a small, thatched building on the Culloden Battlefield in Scotland, where a major battle took place on April 16, 1746.

This battle, known as the Battle of Culloden, was a turning point in Scottish history.

It fought on Drumossie Muir near Inverness and saw the Jacobite forces of Prince Charles Edward Stuart defeated by the government army led by the Duke of Cumberland.

The battle was short, lasting less than an hour, but it had a huge impact, leading to the deaths of around 1,500 Jacobite soldiers.

Many of them were buried in mass graves across the battlefield.

Today, hundreds of visitors flock to Culloden to remember the fallen.

When Was The House Built?

The exact date when Old Leanach Cottage was built is unknown, but it is believed to be from the early 1700s, meaning it was there during the battle.

The cottage, located to the northeast of the battlefield, is one of the last examples of traditional thatched-roof buildings in the area.

The House Might Have Been Used As A Field Hospital

Historical maps from the mid-18th century, including those by Finlayson and General William Roy, indicate that the cottage was part of a small complex of buildings, including a barn and possibly a stable.

The barn was burned down by government forces to kill about thirty wounded Jacobite soldiers hiding inside.

The cottage itself might have been used as a field hospital for the government troops.

The area around the cottage, once more populated, was largely agricultural, with local farmers working the land divided into plots.

The Cottage Has Gone Through Many Changes

By the 1840s, the once bustling area around Leanach had diminished, and the cottage itself saw periods of abandonment and neglect.

Census records from 1841 show five inhabitants, but by 1851 and 1861, the cottage appears to have been left empty, its exterior slowly succumbing to the elements.

Around 1860, the west end was demolished, and a new wall was built, giving the cottage its current L-shape.

It wasn’t until 1880 that the cottage was once again occupied, with further repairs made to keep it habitable.

Duncan Forbes, a landowner, later preserved the site by building the Memorial Cairn to commemorate the battle and the fallen clans.

The last known resident of Old Leanach Cottage was Bella MacDonald, who lived there with her sister and grandchildren until she died in 1912.

Bella and her family are remembered for offering guided tours to the many visitors.

After Bella’s passing, the cottage fell into disrepair once more.

Efforts Were Made To Preserve The Cottage

The Gaelic Society of Inverness and architect Thomas Munro led a campaign in 1924 to repair the building.

The original thatched roof was replaced with a lighter version.

However, due to limited funds, not all repairs could be completed, as well as graffiti marred the door and windows

Despite these challenges, the Gaelic Society managed the site until the 1940s, when Hector Forbes, then the landowner, gifted the cottage to the National Trust for Scotland in 1944.

The National Trust took up the mantle of preserving Old Leanach Cottage, and by 1961, it had become the site’s first visitor center.

The 1970s saw further restoration work, including a roof more closely resembling the original.

The interior was later furnished to reflect an 18th-century household, offering visitors a glimpse into the past.

However, the cottage was eventually closed to the public in 2007 when a new, modern visitor center was opened nearby.