Battlefields

Battles were often iconic events in Scottish history, and battlefields form an important part of our historic environment.

Physical features or memorials associated with battle sites are scheduled or listed when they can be. For example, the battle sites of Glenshiel (1719) where breastworks survive above the valley floor) and Culloden (1746) where various cairns and graves are scheduled) are scheduled as monuments of national importance. Some buildings or memorials associated with battles, such as the clan monument at Sherrifmuir, are listed.

Battlefields can also be protected through the planning process and can be a material consideration in the planning system and formally recognised through appropriate policy in development plans. Responsibility for the protection of battlefields through the planning process lies with local planning authorities.

However, in the majority of cases battlefields cannot be given statutory protection because they do not have any visible physical remains and there is often not enough documentary evidence to allow the site to be delineated accurately on a map. Historic Scotland is working to improve the protection of this aspect of our cultural heritage and published Ministers' policy for their protection on 27 July 2009, in the Scottish Historic Environment Policy (SHEP) which can be viewed and downloaded from www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/shep.

With the launch of Ministers' policy on battlefields Historic Scotland will be working to create the first tranche of the Inventory by March 2011.