Scottish Mansion Is Tribute to 45-Minute War

There’s little doubt that the 1746 Battle of Culloden is more of a meaningful slice of Britain’s history than the 45-minute war would seem to suggest.

In that short struggle Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the last of the Stuart line, fought the Duke of Cumberland, son of King George II, for the throne of England.

While that conflict might have significantly changed the course of world events, most tour guides and travel books tend to diminish its importance.

But Ian MacKenzie, proprietor of Culloden House, headquarters for Bonnie Prince Charlie (as the prince was affectionately called), bridges the gap of 200 years with an articulate wit and an indelible memory.

MacKenzie is a proud man who refers to the Seaforth Highlanders with reverence.

He serves his own muse, but has been motivated by the most fortunate discovery of two chests and sacks of letters in the dungeons of Culloden House dating from 1626 to 1746. They were found in 1790 and published in 1815 as the “Culloden Papers.”

It was through these papers that MacKenzie put his reporting talents (he’s a former newspaper editor) to work in compiling his own history of Culloden as the last battle on British soil.

The report is filled with fascinating insights of the period and reads as a dramatic novel of the Highlands of Scotland and their fierce clans. He identifies with the historic events of the epoch. Sometimes his indignation is spontaneous.

“The Duke of Cumberland was a brutal murderer,” he said. “That killing field was littered with Highlander prisoners and the wounded. They suffered for two days without food or water before he ordered his dragoons to finish them.”

The Battle of Culloden was fought on Culloden Moor (or Drumossie Moor as it was known at the time). Wide and sparse, the moor is three miles from Inverness and one mile from Culloden House.

A flagstone path winds from the Culloden Visitor Center to the middle of the battlefield, where violence raged under the thunder of cannon and the frightening screams of men and horses on April 16, 1746.

Here the Jacobites, followers of the Stuarts, fought to regain the English throne from the Hanoverian King George II.

Now there is a great calm upon that place; time seems out of joint. A hawk glides over the heath in a balletic display of aerobics.

A lone man is walking at the far end of the moor, silhouetted against the soft blue sky. What at first appears ambiguous acquires definition, revealing the harsh realities and disquieting impact of civil conflict.

The landscape tugs at the heart. Rough rocks of the 20-foot Memorial Cairn rise from the center of the battlefield, commemorating “The Gallant Highlanders Who Fought For Scotland and Prince Charlie.”

In the distance the Keppoch Stone immortalizes the chief of the Clan MacDonald, who died in a heroic, single-handed effort to stem the furious onslaught of the Hanoverians.

More poignant, perhaps, are the Graves of the Clans, which line the stone path leading to the Memorial Cairn.

The precise number of Scots in Prince Charlie’s army is unknown. There may have been 5,000; most likely, 3,000 is more accurate.

But the Duke of Cumberland massed 9,000 troops in 12 English regiments, plus, strangely, three regiments of Scottish infantry.

While the battle surged for little more than 45 minutes, those five minutes spent in savage close-quarter struggles demonstrated human valor extending beyond the limits of duty and tradition.

The legendary fury of the Highlander attacks was blunted by Cumberland’s cannon. The terrifying charges of the Scots resulted in 1,200 dead Highlanders.

“It was more than Cumberland’s cruel handling of the prisoners and the wounded,” MacKenzie said. “He also destroyed fleeing clansmen and innocent civilians.”

Then the hint of a smile brightened his face as he waved his arm around the spacious lounge. “And yet,” he said, “Culloden House is a persistent influence on that part of the past.”

Culloden House is thought to have been constructed between 1580 and 1620, but it was completely remodeled in 1772 as a magnificent Georgian Palladian mansion. James and Robert Adam, eminent British architects and designers of the era, are credited with handling the entire reconstruction.

The ceilings and moldings in the imposing lounge and handsome dining room are original--strikingly similar to traditional Wedgwood motifs, but with larger medallions and embossed animals. Stark white designs project from mauve backgrounds in the lounge and from dark green walls in the impressive dining room.

A tone of monumentality surrounds the ivy-clad manor, which is linked to smaller but comparably styled pavilions on either side. Culloden House stands in the center of 40 acres of extensive parkland and sweeping lawns.

“It was never a ‘ferocious’ house,” MacKenzie said, “although a ‘hanging tree’ remains on the grounds.”

A portrait of Prince Charlie dominates the entrance hall. The graceful iron staircase rises to 20 large guest rooms on upper floors. Finely styled with authentic antiques and comfortable period furnishings, each room is distinctly different. Some have poster beds; others are curtain-framed.

The government has listed Culloden House as a national treasure. Bonnie Prince Charlie used it as his headquarters for several weeks before the battle. Some of his wounded were taken from the field and treated there, others were hidden from enemy troops who were in relentless pursuit.

But Marjory and Ian MacKenzie have molded Culloden House into a luxury inn of inestimable charm and comfort since they bought it nine years ago.

MacKenzie’s inquisitive energies identified his cause long ago. He rarely moves far from it or from his words of conviction.

“The Battle didn’t end with the Duke of Cumberland’s victory,” MacKenzie said. “After the fighting, many Highlander prisoners captured by English troops were transported to the United States. They are listed here.”

He opened a thick volume from the shelf. “Many of my guests come here to trace their beginnings.”

He spoke of a former mayor of Dallas who spent days at Culloden House examining the records of some of his ancestors.

Though time passes and the names tend to fade from memory, Scotland never seems to have recovered from Prince Charlie’s incursion.

MacKenzie says that to many Scots in the area the Battle of Culloden was fought to keep the Royal Family on the throne.

“And that may well be,” he said, “but in the grand sweep of history it may have been a classic example of just one too many battles, one too many wars.”

Inverness is a four-hour trip via rail from Edinburgh. It’s about 4 1/2 hours from Glasgow. If you care to drive, Scotland has a splendid highway system, with hard-top roads in excellent condition.

Among sites worth exploring near Inverness:

--Cawdor Castle, which was promised to Macbeth by the three witches of Shakespeare’s drama. One mile northeast of Inverness on Route B9090. It has beautiful gardens and a drawbridge. Open May through September.

--Clava Cairns, which has three large Stone-Bronze Age burial cairns dating from 2000 BC to 1500 BC. One mile north of Culloden Moor.

--Dingwall, Macbeth’s birthplace. It’s a busy town at the head of Cromarthy Firth that was first colonized by raiding Norsemen. Fourteen miles northwest of Inverness on Route A855.

--Forres, the original site of King Duncan’s Palace (from “Macbeth”). Six miles west of Inverness on Macbeth’s Hill.

--Elgin, where King Duncan was killed in combat by Macbeth. Forty miles north of Inverness.

--The Malt Whiskey Trail runs 15 miles south on Route A491 to the Spey River.

In addition, the western edge of Loch Ness is 24 miles south of Inverness. As for accommodations in Inverness, several hotels are worth considering:

--Culloden House is a magnificent 20-room Georgian mansion with an elegant restaurant. The nightly rate is $200 U.S. Write to Culloden IVI 2NZ.

--Caledonian Hotel is first-class, modern and comfortable. Rate: $127.

--Station Hotel is an authentic Victorian with large rooms, in the forecourt of the railway station. Rate: $125.

--Ladbrooke Hotel is a first-class tourist property, recently refurbished with pleasant bedrooms. It’s at the junctions of routes A9 and A96. Rate: $115.

--Kingsmills Hotel is an 18th-Century house one mile from city center. First-class. Rate: $95. Write to Culcabock Road IV2 3LP.

For general information on travel to Scotland, contact the British Tourist Authority, 350 S. Figueroa St., Suite 450, Los Angeles 90071, (213) 628-3525.