In a remarkable discovery, archaeologists have unearthed an unexploded mortar shell from the bloodiest battle in Scottish history.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) revealed in mid-April that its team of archaeologists made the find at Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
The Battle of Culloden took place on April 16, 1746, when the Jacobite army, led by Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, faced off against forces loyal to King George II.
In less than an hour, the Jacobite forces were decisively defeated, marking the end of any serious attempts to reinstate the Stuart monarchy. The battle holds the distinction of being the last major pitched battle on British soil.
Experts believe the recently discovered shell was launched by government artillery during the conflict.
According to the NTS, the 5.5-inch shell was found intact and still packed with gunpowder, making it the first complete piece of government ordnance discovered at the Culloden site. This finding offers new insights into the strategic maneuvers of both government and Jacobite forces during key moments of the battle.
“Many other projectiles, including cannon shot, musket balls and fragments of mortar shells, have been uncovered at Culloden, but never before has undetonated ordnance been found,” the statement also said.
The shell, weighing nearly 18 pounds, is believed to have been fired from one of the government’s Coehorn mortars.
It was uncovered during excavations in October 2025, but officials did not announce the discovery until April 16 — which marked the 280th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden.
Other projectiles, including pistol shot and lead musket balls, were also found.
“Parts of the battlefield are on boggy ground, and it is thought the shell landed on wet ground and the fuse extinguished before it could ignite the powder,” noted officials.
The shell still contained remnants of its original plug and traces of plant material, which were recovered for analysis.
Officials said that, once the black powder in the shell was exposed, there was a “slight exothermic reaction.”
A specialist “safely cleaned out the interior of the shell, preserved samples of the contents for further study, and certified the shell as free from explosive hazard,” the release noted.
In a statement, the NTS’s head of archaeology, Derek Alexander, called the discovery a “remarkable — dare I say, explosive — find of the kind archaeologists dream of, but never expect to encounter.”
“Along with the other projectiles recovered, this discovery helps us better understand the formation of troops and concentration of fire during this brief, but brutal, battle,” said Alexander.
“The mortars may have been aiming at the Jacobite artillery, so the place where the shell landed may mark the heart of the Culloden battlefield.”
An NTS official told Fox News Digital the shell was buried nearly a foot underground — something only professional archaeologists could uncover — and that the site remains safe for visitors.
The discovery comes just months after officials announced a similar find at the same battle site.
In late 2025, officials announced archaeologists had uncovered a cache of bullets fired during the Battle of Culloden, shedding new light on its final moments.
