The Prisoners’ Stone, Culloden Woods

This is probably the most difficult blog post I’ve ever put together. Creating the video below was a very emotional experience – it is so close to home, in both senses of the word.

Andy and I (Diane) live in Culloden. I have lived here since 1990, in a spot between Culloden Battlefield and Culloden House. I’ve walked through Culloden Woods hundreds of times, and most of those times took me past ‘The Prisoners’ Stone’, where it is well-known that seventeen Jacobite prisoners, after being held in the dungeon at Culloden House, were taken to be executed in the days following the Battle of Culloden. One escaped – reputed to be a Fraser – and he lived to tell the tale of what had happened there.

You won’t have seen the Prisoners’ Stone if you’ve visited Culloden Battlefield, for it is not on the land owned by the National Trust for Scotland. Instead, this Stone sits alone, deep in the heart of Culloden Woods, on trails that, generally, only those living locally frequent.

Some years ago, our local Council put up a sign and bench there to remember these men. It was good to see this solemn place being given the recognition and respect it deserves.

The Prisoner’s Stone has always been a place steeped in energy. Even back in the 1990s when I used to walk through there as a young lass, a tear would often find its way down my cheek. The place has a deep, overwhelming sadness.

Recently, Andy and I purchased a rare book from an antique book-seller. It is certainly the most expensive we have purchased for our collection of 18^th century books. Dated 1747, the book contains a word-for-word account of the whole proceedings in the House of Peers against Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat – The Old Fox.

The advert for the book also said that it contained “A sammelband of texts relating to the 1745 Jacobite Rising, including a remarkably rare handbill account of the manner in which Government army officer Lord Boyd saved the life of John Fraser after the Battle of Culloden. ESTC records copies of this handbill at only two locations in the British Isles, and none elsewhere.”

The definition of a handbill is ‘a small printed advertisement or notice that is given to people by hand’.

The book also contains an old print of Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, The Old Fox, which had been taped into the front, along with two pages of handwritten text.

The bulk of the book is the record of Simon’s trial, but the second section is a record of the trials of:  William 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, George Earl of Cromertie (Laird of Clan MacKenzie, based at Castle Leod), and Arthur Lord Balmerino.

These three men were captured during the ‘45 and taken to London to be tried. Kilmarnock and Balmerino were captured at the Battle of Culloden, and the Earl of Cromertie at Dunrobin Castle the day before. They were tried together through June, July and early August of 1746, and all three were sentenced to death by execution.

Kilmarnock and Balmerino were beheaded in London on 18^th August and the Earl of Cromertie obtained a conditional pardon, probably because his heavily pregnant wife pleaded for his freedom. He was, however, to spend the remainder of his life living in poverty in England after having his land, and Castle Leod (the Outlander book equivalent of Castle Leoch) confiscated.

I needed to hold that book in my hands. I did not know why, but I couldn’t let it go until I had made an offer on it. So we bartered with the seller and came to an amiable agreement for both sides. The book arrived mid-October, just before our season’s tours for 2023 were about to come to an end.

When we were able to read the whole script properly, we realised that this rare handbill, which was stuck into the front of the book with glue, was the actual account of the executions that took place at the Prisoner’s Stone after the Jacobites were taken from the dungeons at Culloden House. More than this, there are only two known copies of this handbill, and we now own one of them.

In the video below, I take you to the Prisoners’ Stone while reading the exact words from the handbill as they were written in 1746. Please be advised before watching this video, that the account is graphic and deeply upsetting. Having lived here in Culloden for over 30 years and knowing what happened at the Stone, after learning the extent of what actually took place on that day, it has left me deeply affected. The Stone is only a 15 minute walk into the Woods from our home. Those men may even have crossed over our land in that cart to reach the Stone. The Battlefield lies further south from the Stone, around another 15 minute walk, though it is not possible to walk to the Stone from the Battlefield.

The wall of the park dyke was ‘Culloden Parks’, which is well recorded on 18th century maps of Culloden. The wall ran the length of the Culloden hillside and close to the Prisoners’ Stone. Very little remains of the wall now.

If you’ve watched the video, then allow me to tell you a little about Lord Boyd, the Government Officer who gave John Fraser the help he so desperately needed at that time. He saved the young Jacobite’s life.

James Boyd, later known as James Hay, Earl of Errol, was the son of William, 4th Lord Kilmarnock, one of the men captured at Culloden, whose trial is recorded in this book. This is most likely the reason this handbill was set into the front of the book. Lord Boyd fought on the Government side at Culloden, while his father, Lord Kilmarnock, fought on the Jacobite side before being captured, tried and executed.

Lord Boyd, born on 20th April 1726, died at Callendar House on 3rd July 1778, aged 52. We visit Callendar House on our Seven Day Outlander Tour. You will see this book and rare handbill first-hand, along with many of our other 18th century books and antiques, while on our tour.

John Fraser… what a brave soul… Further research reveals: “he was shot through the leg at the Battle of Culloden, carried off the field and left at a dyke-side pointing towards Culloden House. Several hours later, he, along with 17 others, were carried to Culloden House where they spent two days wallowing in their blood and in great torture in the dungeons. There they were kindly entertained by Mr. Thomas Stewart, chamberlain and chief housekeeper to the Lord President, and this he did to some at the hazard of his life”. After his terrible ordeal at the Stone, John Fraser spent three months recovering in the hiding place Lord Boyd had delivered him to until “With the assistance of his landlord, he was eventually able to step upon two crutches”.

His survival is absolutely remarkable. His Spirit so strong.

Culloden House, at the time of the Battle of Culloden, was owned by Lord President Duncan Forbes, 5th of Culloden. We have a significant collection of antiques which belonged to the Forbes of Culloden during the 18th century, including items which were in Culloden House during the time it was used by Charles Edward Stuart directly before the Battle of Culloden. You can read more here.

Incidentally, there used to be a circle of trees standing on the land where our home in Culloden now stands. This circle of trees is recorded on old maps of the time. In the following article you can see not only the circle of trees, but also the ‘Culloden Parks’ wall which stood close to the Prisoners’ Stone. You can read more here.

Culloden has history at every turn, which extends far beyond the visitor site of the Battlefield. I have lived here for over 30 years and hold a deep love and respect for this sacred ground. My feet are planted in the soil, my heart came here to heal from memories of long, long ago.