Rise in hostilities in battle for Killiecrankie
Campaigners calling on heritage body to pick a fight over dualling plans at battlefield site
A campaigning battle reenactment group has questioned Historic Environment Scotland’s ability to stand up for historic sites in an escalation of hostilities over Transport Scotland’s plans to tear up the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie.
The leader of the Soldiers of Killiecrankie believes the heritage body lacks the means to be able to step in to protect the site in its current form.
James Rattray, reckons this has led Transport Scotland to think it can do what it wants when it comes to dualling the A9 through where the first great battle of the first Jacobite uprising was fought over 300 years ago.
Speaking as ground investigation work continues at the site to prepare for the project, Mr Rattray – the group’s chairman – expressed frustration over HES not doing more to prevent the potentially damaging works from spreading to sensitive areas.
He claims the organisation is not nearly as effective at protecting the historic environment as it had been when it was known as Historic Scotland. Mr Rattray said: “What is now apparent is that we have exposed a much bigger national problem right across Scotland.
“Who is responsible for protecting places of history in our nation?
“This was once the role of Historic Scotland but the restructuring that took place two years ago has changed Transport Scotland’s relationship with Historic Scotland, leaving Transport Scotland– our national road builder – free to do as they please.
“There is no-one outside of Transport Scotland with a curatorial role looking after Killiecrankie and other such sites across Scotland.
“When we ask [Transport Scotland’s pictured last month want to protect the historic battlefield contractors] Jacobs Construction and Transport Scotland who is the curator of Killiecrankie we are met with silence.
“The simple reason for this is that our national road builder is now policing itself and what it does or does not do to our battlefield.
“There is something very seriously wrong going on here.
“Transport Scotland have had four years to work out the best route through Killiecrankie [but] we understand it has had over 130 objections to their [latest] plans, which includes the very people they say in their press statements they have consulted with when designing the route through the battlefield.”