Other 18th-/19th-century conflicts
Maps, views and documents from 19 wars
Battle of Culloden, 1746
A PLAN / of the BATTLE of / Culloden / and the Adjacent / COUNTRY / Shewing the Incampment of the / ENGLISH ARMY / at NAIRN / and the March of / the Highlanders in / Order to Attack / Them by / Night.
1747-51Engraving and etching; printed on paper; hand-coloured | Scale: not stated. 1:55,500 approx. | RCIN 730031
This is the only map in the collection to show the march route of the Highlanders to Nairn and back to Culloden on the eve of the battle. It is attributed to John Finlayson in the catalogue entry for the example in NLS: EMS.s.156 with a suggested date of 1746. A full discussion of this map is given in Pollard 2009, pp.178-181, where a date of between 1747 and 1751 is suggested based, among other evidence, on the appearance of the outline of Fort George at Arderseer Point (not named), the decision to build which was not made until 1747.
Additional text: [top left, a key, AA-F:] EXPLANATION [bottom left:] Observations. / The Highlanders had been without pay, / and scarce of provisions for some weeks. / … [bottom right, in an elaborate rococo cartouche:] References / to the / ENGLISH ARMY [followed by details of the first, second and third lines of infantry, and then the horse, followed by:] HIGHLAND ARMY [gives details of the first and second lines and a note on the total numbers of troops for each side].
Condition: two fold lines; induced discolouration on verso; some brown discolouration.
John Finlayson (active 1746-1753) (cartographer)
Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield; countermark: IV
Condition: two fold lines; induced discolouration on verso; some brown discolouration
Scale: not stated. 1:55,500 approx.
50.4 x 67.9 cm (neatline)
51.0 x 68.4 cm (image)
51.5 x 68.8 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
A PLAN / of the BATTLE of / Culloden / and the Adjacent / COUNTRY / Shewing the Incampment of the / ENGLISH ARMY / at NAIRN / and the March of / the Highlanders in / Order to Attack / Them by / Night. [top, left of centre, in a rococo cartouche decorated with representations of military artefacts: tents, powder barrel, cannon, sword, spear, white flag and helmet]
Additional text:
EXPLANATION [top left, a key, AA-F]; Observations. / The Highlanders had been without pay, / and scarce of provisions for some weeks. / … [bottom left]; References / to the / ENGLISH ARMY [bottom right, in an elaborate rococo cartouche] [followed by details of the first, second and third lines of infantry, and then the horse, followed by:] HIGHLAND ARMY [gives details of the first and second lines and a note on the total numbers of troops for each side].
Annotation:
George III heading: Battle of Culloden 16 April 1746.
Other annotations: none.
George III catalogue entry:
Culloden A Plan of the Battle of Culloden, 16.th April 1746 and the adjacent country, shewing the Encampment of the English Army at Nairn and the March of the Highlanders in order to attack them by night.
Subject(s)
Culloden Moor, Highland Region, Scotland, UK (57°28'00"N 04°05'00"W)
Bibliographic reference(s)
T. Pollard (Ed.), Culloden. The history and archaeology of the last clan battle, Barnsley, 2009, pp.178-181
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
