Exhumation to solve clan chief burial mystery

● Is the body in the mausoleum that of executed Jacobite Simon Fraser?

The contents of a coffin will be exhumed next month in a bid to solve the 270-yearold mystery surrounding the final resting place of clan chief Simon “The Fox” Fraser.

Professor Dame Sue Black, of Dundee University, will lead the exhumation at Wardlaw Mausoleum at Kirkhill near Beauly – the burial place of Clan Fraser of Lovat – on 5 October.

Officially, the 11th Lord Lovat was buried at the Tower of London’s parish church following his public execution on 9 April, 1747, with a brass plaque marking his interment at St Peter ad Vincula.

However, there is a longheld theory that his body was quickly moved by supporters andbroughthometothehighlands.

Solving the mystery will lay to rest the question mark over the fate of the powerful Jacobite sympathiser known for his double dealings with the British government.

Erik Lundberg, of the Wardlaw Mausoleum Trust, said there was a “calm nervousness” surrounding the exhumation. He said: “I am also excited that this is actually coming to fruition – the final resting place of Lord Lovat has been a conundrum for a great number of years.

“There is always the slight risk that there is someone completely different in the casket. But we know we have a coffin with the coffin plate for Lord Lovat as it appeared in a London newspaper following the execution. I am fairly relaxed it is him.”

Professor Black, who first visited the mausoleum last year, will remove what are believed to be bones from the lead casket with a full analysis to be carried out on site.

The findings will be presented later in the year at a public event in Inverness organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. It is hoped that a documentary will also be made around the exhumation.

Mr Lundberg said confirmation that the remains of Lord Lovat are indeed held at Wardlaw will further boost the profile of the mausoleum.

Fans of television series Outlander have already increased visitor numbers at the attraction given its links to Clan Fraser, which features heavily in the show. Lord Lovat is portrayed as the grandfather of central character Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan.

Mr Lundberg said further exposure through Professor

0 Professor Dame Sue Black will lead the exhumation of the body Black’s exhumation will support his campaign to raise £100,000 to keep the mausoleum maintained and open to the public. Professor Black’s analysis will confirm the age, gender and physical characteristics of the deceased.

Several details are known about Lord Lovat such as his height and ailments. Damage to the vertebrae caused by beheading will also be looked for.