In March 2016 we made a visit to Culloden House and were lucky enough to be given a tour of this amazing historical mansion. Bonnie Prince Charlie was known to have stayed here on the lead up to The Battle Of Culloden and is now a favourite place for Diana Gabaldon to stay when she is in the area. She even has her own bench in the walled garden.
Although the original Culloden House was partially destroyed by fire in the years after Culloden, original parts of the building can still be seen. This house was rebuilt around 1772 and is a very fine example of Georgian architecture. It has a grand staircase which leads up to the main entrance and it is obvious from your first sight of the entrance hall how important this house played during the lead up and the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. Although Duncan Forbes the owner at the time of Culloden was a Hanoverian supporter, Bonnie Prince Charlie is believed to stayed in Forbes’s own bedroom in the days leading up to the Battle.
As I have previously stated, some of the original walls and features can still be seen. A wall, hidden behind a door, is one of the walls of the original building.
Another original feature was the vaulted cellars beneath the house. These were used in the aftermath of Culloden where wounded Jacobite prisoners were kept, awaiting their fate. These cellars had a very eerie feeling about them, especially when they turned the lights out!
It is a very elegant house with beautiful and delicate plasterwork in the reception rooms and the bedrooms we were shown also had four poster beds. There are pieces of antique furniture throughout the mansion which gives you an insight of what it must have been like to live here during the Jacobite times.
We finished the tour off with a lovely cup of tea and shortbread. Thank you to the wonderful, friendly staff at Culloden House. It is truly a wonderful place steeped in history and would be a great place for anyone to stay or even just to visit for their amazing afternoon teas or fine dining.
Here is a link to their website. – Culloden House
Inverness Outlanders 
I’ll have to make sure I add Culloden House to my list of places to see next time I come to Scotland!
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