๐ Prestonpans, East Lothian
โ
The name Prestonpans is forever etched into the Scottish history annals as a result of a 1745 feud which is remembered as one of the most famous Jacobite victories. On 21st September, Sir John Cope’s government forces were defeated in less than half an hour by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army, thanks to a combination of local knowledge and redcoat inexperience. As in numerous skirmishes on Scottish soil, marshy ground was a key contributor to the outcome – but this time the Jacobites were the beneficiaries, in a reversal of fortunes from the equally prominent 1513 Battle of Flodden. Unlike at Flodden however, much of the land surrounding Prestonpans’ battlefield has since been scarred by heavy industry, communications links and residential suburbs. The monuments commemorating the site are therefore rather scattered; the main one is a colossal, scrubby pyramid with views across the battle site and wider area, with a series of interpretive panels describing the events leading up to and during the clash.
๐ Location
๐ Off the B1361 1 mi east of Prestonpans town centre
๐งญ O.S. Grid Reference: NT 402740
๐ฐ๏ธ GPS coordinates: 55.954941,-2.959635
๐ Bus stops on B1361 | ๐ Prestonpans (0.5 mi)
๐ Street parking on unnamed road to east of viewpoint
๐ Key info
โ Always open
๐ซ Free