Volunteer detectorist discovers first unexploded bomb at Culloden

After almost three centuries, an unexploded shell has surfaced on the Culloden battlefield.

A volunteer detectorist discovered the mortar used by government troops against forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie.

After its safe retrieval, it was added to exhibits in time for this week’s 280th anniversary of the battle.

The 16lb shell was dug up by experts with the battlefield’s guardians, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), and teams of volunteers who had scoured known combat hotspots.

The Coehorn mortar shell, held by National Trust for Scotland's Head of Archaeology, Derek Alexander. — The Coehorn mortar shell, held by National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Archaeology, Derek Alexander. National Trust for Scotland

Delighted volunteer detectorist Amanda Craig, who located the 5.5inch weapon said: “My machine was screaming. Obviously, as soon as we’d seen a spherical shape we just stopped.

“We got some of the senior archaeologists over to make sure everything was done properly and to make sure it wasn’t something that shouldn’t be getting dug up.”

The shell is the first example of complete government ordnance found at the battlefield intact and packed with gunpowder.

It is believed to have been fired from a government army mortar at Jacobite forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The trusts’ head of archaeology Derek Alexander said: “There was an initial peak of interest and then people started finding musket balls and other bits of grapeshot around, and I have to say it slightly got forgotten about.

“It was only until we got the conservation work undertaken and got it cleaned that we realised exactly what it was.

“Although it was still full of gunpowder, the gunpowder had degraded, so when it was exposed to the air it heated up but it wouldn’t have exploded. But we had to check that.”

The latest annual search uncovered almost 90 musket balls from what was the last pitched battle fought on British soil.

Bonnie Prince Charlie led the 1745 rising in a bid to win the British throne. He was defeated. About 1,600 men died – 1,500 of them Jacobites.

One theory is that the shell failed to detonate because it landed on wet ground with the fuse extinguished before it could ignite the powder.

It has been cleaned and certified as free from explosive hazard.

The relic has taken pride of place in a display cabinet at the visitor centre – in time for this week’s 280th anniversary of the battle.

Amanda said: “It was absolutely fantastic luck that I did find it. I think I will be forever known as ‘the bomb lady’ up in Culloden and that’s good enough for me.”