Published: Thursday, 4th September, 2008 08:30
A Bonnie battle replay
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FOUR fabulous days celebrating Bonnie Prince Charlie’s victory at the 1745 Battle of Prestonpan are set to take residents by storm.
From Wednesday, September 17 till Saturday, September 20, there will be a wide range of battle-related activities in venues across Prestonpans and beyond.
Highlights include the ‘occupation’ of Prestonpans by General Sir John Cope’s Hanoverian troops on the Friday evening; a two-day Battle of Prestonpans Conference; plus the opportunity to see the Jacobites claim victory at a stunning battle re-enactment – featuring cannon fire! – at the town’s Cuthill Park on the Saturday.
Gordon Prestoungrange, of event organisers the Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust, can’t wait for the 263rd anniversary celebrations to begin.
He said: “It is all part of the campaign to increase awareness of the battle and that is why having a Redcoat occupation of the town is important and worthwhile.
“The varied celebrations will raise the profile of the town itself and we are expecting a large crowd this year to celebrate with us.”
On the Thursday and Friday, Prestonpans Community Centre hosts a battle conference, featuring a symposium and arts festival.
The symposium on the Thursday gives residents the opportunity to mix with academics, historians and artists to discuss the battle and its heritage, with contributions from Dr Tony Pollard, director of Glasgow University’s Centre for Battlefield Archaeology; Alexander Bennett of the National Trust for Scotland; and respected historian Dr Christopher Duffy.
In the evening, there will be a performance of the specially commissioned play by Andrew Dallmeyer, The Battle of Pots and Pans.
A range of battle-related community activities are being held at the venue on the Friday, including art workshops and children’s storytelling sessions.
A specially commissioned scale model of the battleground will also be on show.
Saturday’s schedule includes an atmospheric 5am walk which re-traces the early-morning route the Highlanders took on September 21, 1745 as they marched silently through the Riggonhead Defile to the east of Prestonpans before battle commenced.
Other not-to-be-missed events on the Saturday include a military camp at Bankton House, where a skirmish will result in the mortal wounding of local hero Colonel Gardiner.
In the evening, a ceilidh and buffet supper is held at Prestonpans Community Centre.
The Battle of Prestonpans was arguably the high point of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion and victory provided Bonnie Prince Charlie and his Highland army the platform to march towards London.
The Battle of Prestonpans Heritage Trust is campaigning to protect the battle site for future generations and is determined to build a state-of-the-art ‘living history’ battle visitor centre.
* Local councillor and former Cockenzie Primary School teacher, Peter MacKenzie, a battle trust trustee, hosts one of his popular tours of the battle site on Saturday, September 13. Anyone interested in joining the two-hour tour should meet just east of the Jet petrol station, Tranent, at 10am.
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