Prestonpans, Scotland

20-21 September 1745

Across the freshly-harvested fields, in a landscape famed for its coal and its salt, two armies battle for the fate of the nation. On one side stands the professional army of the British king, George II; on the other, a Highland army raised by Prince Charlie for the ancient but exiled House of Stuart. Evenly matched in numbers, it is on these small armies that the fate of two rival royal dynasties appears to hang. After a a tense day and night of manoeuvres, each army testing the other and shifting for the slightest advantage, the storm finally breaks, leading to a Jacobite victory which sends shockwaves through Georgian Britain. Only with the hindsight of history would the Battle of Prestonpans be shown to be a false dawn, a moment of triumph on the road to a final irrevocable defeat. But a moment which would live forever in memory, in song, and in stitches…

 

Today, The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust works to preserve and interpret the history and heritage of the the great event that took place here – and the landscape and community in which it was fought. A registered Scottish charity (no.037447), the Trust operates the Battle of Prestonpans Museum on the town’s High Street, and holds a range of events, exhibitions, and educational activities throughout the year. On the battle’s anniversary, and throughout all our programming, we commemorate the courage and sacrifice of both sides.

  • The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust

  • The Battle of Prestonpans was the first battle of the last Jacobite Rising. The Jacobite army was led by Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie"), fighting for the restoration of the Stuart royal line exiled since 1688. The army mainly comprised Highland soldiers - most Gaelic-speaking - and despite lacking in experience, artillery and cavalry, the Jacobites charged to a dramatic and unexpectedly one-sided victory.

    Opposing them was a British army commanded by Lieutenant General Sir John Cope. They were fighting for King George II, the reigning monarch at the time. These trained and uniformed professional soldiers were drawn from Scotland, England and Ireland. With a train of light cannon and mortars, and a considerable superiority in cavalry, it was expected Cope's army possessed sufficient discipline and firepower to disperse the Jacobites and put an end to the uprising. It was not to be. 

    The battle was fought in East Lothian, between the communities of Prestonpans, Tranent, and Cockenzie. Although parts of the site have changed over the centuries, important areas of the battlefield have survived as open ground, and it remains possible to explore the landmarks and landscape features which determined the events of that dramatic morning.

    The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust is committed to understanding and interpreting the battle and its legacy, and protecting the battlefield . This website will help you discover the history, explore the historic landscape, and find out about our activities and how you can support them.