Culloden, Highland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Culloden
|
|
|---|---|
 Culloden House, 2004 |
|
 Culloden
|
|
| Population | 3,830 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NH721463 |
| Council area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Inverness |
| Postcode district | IV2 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
|
Culloden (/kəˈlɒdən/ ; from Scottish Gaelic Cùl Lodain, "back of the small pond"; modern Gaelic Cùil Lodair) is a village in Scotland. It is located about 3 miles (5 kilometers) east of Inverness. Just 3 miles (5 kilometers) east of the village is Drumossie Moor, which is the famous site of the Battle of Culloden.
History of Culloden Village
Culloden village first grew around the large estate of Culloden House. Many of the original buildings were part of this estate. Today, Culloden House is a hotel. The old stables have been rebuilt into holiday homes. The historic tithe barn is now a church, called the Barn Church.
Other interesting old buildings nearby include the Loch Lann Kennels, the Doocot (a pigeon house), and an ice house. In the 1960s, a new area was built near the historic village. This included council housing (homes built by the local government). New buildings like Culloden Stores, Culloden Academy (a high school), and Duncan Forbes Primary School were added. The primary school is named after the Forbes family, who owned Culloden House for many years. Since then, more new homes have been built around the area.
The wider area of Culloden also includes three other communities. These are Balloch, Smithton, and Westhill. Balloch is an old village, similar to Culloden. Smithton and Westhill are newer areas, mostly built after World War II.
Culloden Battlefield Today
The battlefield of Culloden is a very important historical site. It is now looked after by the National Trust for Scotland. The battlefield has a large visitors' centre. This centre is a popular place for tourists to visit.
The National Trust for Scotland built this special visitor centre. It has an interactive experience that helps you understand the battle. There is even an immersion film room that makes you feel like you are in the middle of the battle. The visitor centre opened on April 16, 2008. In 2019, over 209,000 people visited it.
The Clootie Well
Besides the battlefield, another interesting place nearby is the "clootie well". This well is in Culloden Woods. People visit it and hang brightly coloured rags on nearby trees. They do this as offerings, hoping to be cured of illnesses.
Traditionally, people visited this well on the first Sunday in May. Until the early 1970s, many people would go there. Buses were even arranged to take the crowds. However, fewer people visit on that specific day now. There is a similar, more famous well near Munlochy. This tradition might come from old Celtic ceremonies. These ceremonies involved leaving gifts for water spirits.
Close to the battlefield, about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) to the south-east, are the Cairns of Clava. These are ancient burial mounds from the Bronze Age.
See also
In Spanish: Culloden para niños
