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Glenfinnan the place, the date 19th August 1745, the occasion of raising the Jacobite Standard of Charles Edward Stuart, Pretender to the Throne of Britain.

With the bulk of the British Army on the Continent, the Jacobite faction read the signs of opportunity and by secret contacts it was decided that now was the time to invite the Old Pretender's son to stake his claim to the throne by popular demand and force of arms if necessary. At first many Clans flocked to the Colours and along with their compatriots from France and Ireland they made quite a considerable and fearsome force.

After surprising and routing a Government camp at Prestonpans south of Edinburgh they drove on into England where it was expected that others of the Jacobite persuasion would eagerly join up to rid the country of these German upstarts, but alas, this proved not to be the case. Over and above, the expected French reinforcements didn't materialise either thus leaving Charles and his diminishing army sitting at Derby wondering what next, for false rumours of a vast Government force in the vicinity set Charles at odds with some of his commanders.

If they had only known that the rumours were intentionally false, having been circulated on Cumberland's direct orders, the Capital lay wide open for the taking. Some were for going on and others sensing disaster ahead were for turning back to reinforce in safer territory. And so it was that Charles having the chance of all his dreams fulfilled instead took the fateful decision to turn back north.

On the 16th April 1746, some eight months after raising the flag, Charles stood with his army on a windswept moor called Culloden just east of Inverness facing a Government force consisting of as many of his countrymen as he had in his own ranks. It took just forty odd minutes after the first Clan charge to see the end of a dream. What was left intact of his forces retreated south and were disbanded whilst their Prince rode off into legend.

This proved to be the beginning of the end of the power of the Clans for some twelvehundred brave and perhaps foolish men were lost to their families that day. From now on the highlands were to be scoured for supporters of the Jacobite Pretender and the word mercy lost much of its flavour in those days.
Charles we know made his way to the Islands until a ship was had to take him back to the Continent. He died a broken man some years later with only memories of the country, which had given so much in blood for his dream.

The romance and legends of those few months is now an indelible part of Highland and Scottish history. Wherever a man of Scot's ancestry is to be found anywhere in the world there's every possibility that his history is connected with that Prince or at least the results of that Prince's dream.

A monument to the Clans stands on the site of the landing and raising of the Standard. A Visitor Centre provides an audio programme and displays of the Prince's campaign.
At Glenfinnan Station the building has been restored to reflect the West Highland Line of the past and is a must to see.

For Eats the local Hostelries provide good fayre.
Accommodation and Camping sites are available.

Travel is by bus, coach or car.
For the tourists from abroad the nearest airports are Inverness with a bus, coach or car only connection, or Glasgow with a connection by rail via Fort William on to Glenfinnan and Mallaig.

Comments or photos to improve this page most welcome.

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