Warning of ‘permanent damage’

Association speaks out on battlefield tree planting

An organisation set up to preserve the Jacobite legend has criticised a decision to approve plans for the planting of thousands of trees on the Sheriffmuir battlefield site.

The 1745 Association believes the move will “inflict permanent damage” on the site of the battle at which the Jacobite Rising of 1715 was halted.

As we reported last week, Forestry Commission Scotland has given the go-ahead to Kippendavie Estates for the planting of 153 acres of commercial woodland where, it is thought, hundreds of men were buried following the battle between Government Forces and the Jacobite Army in November 1715.

Historians have already criticised the FCS decision and campaigner Virginia Wills, who lives close to the site, said the proposal was similar to planting trees on the Somme.

The 1745 Association welcomed a move to clear woodland from the “core battlefield site” and return it to moorland, as it would have been in 1715.

However, in a statement, the association say there remain uncertainties about areas in the vicinity of the battlefield, where skirmishes would have occurred.

Expressing concern about the planting, the association’s statement continues: “We believe that the loss of large swathes of the wider battlefield site would prevent appreciation of the context and environment upon which the battle was fought and consequently inflict permanent damage to the detriment of future generations.

“As the battle was fought over several acres of ground, the archaeology, potentially including human remains, will be scattered across several locations and any commercial planting operations would undoubtedly disturb and damage remaining deposits on the site.

“We appreciate that many people consider the battlefield a war grave site and therefore should remain undisturbed.”

The association has offered to work alongside the Forestry Commission and Kippendavie Estates to consider alternative options for the Sheriffmuir site.

These could include considerations for further archaeological surveys and proposals for improved pathways and signage in conjunction with enhanced educational and cultural information.

A spokesman said the issues relating to the woodland creation scheme at Sheriffmuir had been carefully considered with key stakeholders over the last four years.

“Our decision letter and statement of reasons has fully assessed all the issues identified by stakeholders and applied a wide range of conditions to the proposal to mitigate any potential impacts of the woodland creation and enhance visitor access and interpretation,” he added.

“Conditions have been applied to cover issues such as archaeological survey, the discovery of any human remains and the development of new or improved paths to provide better access to the battlefield together with new and enhanced interpretation for visitors.

“We would be happy to explain our decision to the 1745 Association.”