The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust

The Battle of Prestonpans was the first battle of the last Jacobite Rising, fought on 20-21 September 1745. The Jacobite army, fighting for the restoration of the Royal Stuarts, was led by Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie"). Opposing the Prince was a professional British army commanded by Lt General Sir John Cope. These "redcoats" were fighting for the reigning monarch, King George II. These trained and uniformed soldiers were drawn from Scotland, England and Ireland. With an advantage in both cavalry and artillery, it was expected Cope's army would easily disperse the Jacobites and put an immediate end to the uprising. It was not to be...

The victory of the Jacobites was both unexpected and one-sided, and although it proved to be a false dawn, the Battle of Prestonpans inspired an important cultural legacy which continues to this day.

The battle was fought in East Lothian, between the communities of Prestonpans, Tranent, and Cockenzie. It was a busy landscape of agriculture and industry. 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 a registered Scottish charity (No. 37447) committed to understanding, protecting and interpreting the battle and its legacy. We also run the Battle of Prestonpans Museum, and a programme of events, exhibitions and activities throughout the year.