Still looking for Bonnie Prince Charlie

Inspired by my visit to the battle of Culloden Museum I travelled on to Fort William, which has another Museum with many of the personal belongings of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Once inside the Museum, it is a treasure trove of items left behind by Charlie in the houses along  his escape route to the Isle of Skye. The fact he had to leave such valuable belongings shows the extent of the his pursuit by the Hanoverian redcoat army.

Here a scarf made of light Italian material that showed he was not prepared for the cold conditions of Scottish Highland weather.

Here also is a fragment of a kilt reputedly to have been worn by Charlie. Note it is a far cry from the garish red design promoted by the Sobieski Stuart brothers almost a hundred years later, in their scam to create a Scottish tartan tradition that was not authentic.

The detailed nature of Charlie's belongings even includes the buckles on his shoes.

However we are brought back to the outcome of his visit to Scotland, with a battle map of Culloden. 

In the corner of the map is the list of number of dead - over 2000 along with 1200 prisoners. It says total taken is 3200.

The Museum is well worth a visit for its authentic exhibits and its well kept old world atmosphere.

Next time I will be visiting the Glenfinnan Monument.

Meanwhile Europe groans under the continuing refugee crisis with new statistics saying that this month alone some 170,000 have entered according to this Reuters article here