RESEARCHERS at Robert Gordon University (RGU) have uncovered evidence of an assassination plot, dating to 1746, against folkloric Jacobite rebel leader, Charles Edward Stuart.
Better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, Stuart led the Jacobite cause from the Scottish Highlands in an ultimately doomed 1745 rebellion against Hanoverian rule in Great Britain.
There have for centuries been rumours that, following retreat from England in December 1745, there was an attempt on Stuart’s life, during a stay at Bannockburn House, near Stirling, in January 1746.
Cutting-edge X-ray technology has now appeared to provide physical evidence for the tall tale, which has been told locally for generations.
Archaeological visualisation experts have managed to identify a deformed lead projectile concealed within the headboard in the room associated with the prince.
This remarkable discovery has provided physical evidence for a shooting that occurred more that 270 years ago.
This discovery is the result of a collaboration between The Bannockburn House Trust, who led the project, RGU, John Hopkins University in the US, and Historic Environment Scotland.
The tale of a shooting at Bannockburn House during the Jacobites’ ill-fated siege of Stirling, which took place in January 1746 has been told for generations locally.
Now, fragments of that tale are beginning to be revealed using bleeding-edge visualisation techniques.
The physical evidence points to not one, but multiple shots fired, with a musket ball being identified in the room’s wall last year.
Questions have now been raised about how many shooters were involved and how the prince managed to escape.
Tales about a secret tunnel leading from the house may also now have to re-examined.
Associate Professor Douglas Pritchard of Robert Gordon University, who supervised the imaging work, said: “This research improves our understanding of the Jacobite Rising and the dangers faced by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
“Our 3D visualisation technologies allow for the digital preservation of fragile objects and sites, creating records that support further research and public sharing.
“By capturing these assets accurately, we are both expanding our knowledge and guaranteeing their preservation for future study.”
Researchers have emphasised that the investigation remains ongoing and the nature of the incident cannot yet be conclusively defined.
More analysis and archaeological digs are planned, with the next excavation planned next month.
Malcolm McEwan, chair of the Trust, said: “This is what happens when community heritage meets world-class research.
“Bannockburn House is not just a building – it’s a living story, and we’re inviting the public to be part of its next chapter.”
The collaborative programme between the two universities and Historic Environment Scotland bring postgraduate students from the United States to Scotland to engage directly with historic buildings.
In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie led a rebellion from the Scottish Highlands to reclaim the throne of Great Britain for the Catholic House of Stuart, which was overthrown during the 1688 Glorious Revolution, where the protestant William of Orange become ascendant.
Although his rebellion eventually met crushing defeat at the Battle of Culloden, Charlie was remembered as a tragic, romantic character by poets and as a major figure in Scottish history.
