The Jacobite Trail

04/08/2025

From tomorrow, 5 August 2025, Flying Scotsman is back at Locomotion in Shildon (County Durham) for the summer! 🚂

Flying Scotsman Train Rides | Selected dates in August | £5
Take a ride behind the legend on a historic railway line! 🎟️

Cab Access | 28 to 31 August | Free
Step inside the cab and explore the controls of this iconic engine. 🚂

Curator Evening | 29 August | £120
An exclusive after-hours experience with drinks, a curator-led tour, and rich Scotsman history. 🥂

Footplate Experience | SOLD OUT!
(But worth a mention as this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity filled up fast!) 🔥

Find out more here: ➡️ https://www.locomotion.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-experiences

From train rides to cab access and our flagship footplate experience, find a Flying Scotsman experience that suits you.

01/08/2025

⚔️ The Jacobite cause rises again… but not as we’ve known it.

Outlander: Blood of My Blood takes us deeper into the heart of Scottish resistance, set during the first Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, decades before Jamie Fraser’s time. With the raising of the Standard at Braemar and tensions stirring among clans like the MacKenzies and Frasers, this prequel promises a powerful glimpse into the early days of the Jacobite struggle. Expect loyalty, betrayal, and the roots of rebellion as a new chapter of the cause unfolds. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Premiering on 8 August on STARZ

Find out more here: ⬇️ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/outlander-blood-of-my-blood-will-likely-include-the-jacobites-but-not-from-jamies-time/ar-AA1I8h1o

#1715

There were two Jacobite rebellions in Scotland, and Outlander: Blood of My Blood will likely include one of them.

27/07/2025

🎉 We’re so excited that the Jacobite Festival 2025 willl start soon! Running from 15 to 24 August, this nationwide celebration will bring Scotland’s rich Jacobite heritage to life through a fantastic programme of events at historic sites across the country. From dramatic tales of rebellion to fascinating collections and unforgettable locations, this festival will spotlight the people, places, and stories that shaped the Jacobite era (1688–1746 and beyond!)

Find out more about this wonderful event here: ⬇️ https://jacobitescotland.org/festival/

Following the success of last year’s programme, we’re very excited to announce that we are working on the Jacobite Festival 2025, which will...

23/07/2025

On this day 280 years ago (23 July 1745)

Bonnie Prince Charlie first set foot on Scottish soil, landing on the remote island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides. 🏴🚢

He arrived aboard the French ship Du Teillay, accompanied by just seven companions (now famously remembered as the Seven Men of Moidart). From Eriskay, the Prince crossed to the mainland at Loch nan Uamh, and later made his way to Glenfinnan, where he raised his standard and launched the Jacobite Rising of 1745.

The beach where he landed in Eriskay is still known today as Coilleag a’ Phrionnsa (Gaelic for “the Prince’s cockleshell strand”). It is a quiet and windswept place that marks the true beginning of one of the most dramatic episodes in Scottish history.

Find out more about Eriskay here:➡️ https://www.jacobitetrail.co.uk/eriskay

20/07/2025

A stronghold of Clan Macneil, and a silent witness to the Jacobite cause, edges closer to reopening. 🏰

Kisimul Castle, the medieval seat of the Macneils of Barra, has taken a vital step forward in its restoration, with conservation works now underway in the Great Hall. Among the historic artefacts carefully removed for safekeeping are six muskets and two halberds dating back to the Jacobite Risings of the 1740s, a poignant reminder of the Clan’s enduring role in Scotland’s turbulent past. As Historic Environment Scotland works to preserve this island fortress from sea and salt, the spirit of the '45 still echoes within its stone walls. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Read the full article here: ⬇️https://uk.news.yahoo.com/plan-reopen-medieval-scottish-castle-135811594.html

Kisimul is the only significant surviving medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides.

17/07/2025

Bringing Scottish history to life for children! ⚔️

15/07/2025

🚂✨Explore the real Scottish locations where Harry Potter was filmed! Such as the Glenfinnan Viaduct, where the Hogwarts Express steams by and Bonnie Prince Charlie once raised the Jacobite standard! From the misty glens of Glen Coe (site of the infamous 1692 massacre) to the eerie moors that sheltered Highland rebels, these sites are steeped in both cinematic magic and rich Jacobite history. Perfect for Potterheads and history buffs alike! 🧙‍♂️🏴

Read the full article here: ⬇️ https://www.outlooktraveller.com/experiences/places-of-interest/harry-potter-filming-locations-in-scotland-you-should-visit

It is usually the case with great allegories and fables, spun masterfully by great authors, that their futuristic, unreal and novel settings take inspiration fr

10/07/2025

🚂 From Scrap Heap to Screen Stardom!
After more than four decades of careful restoration, the Wightwick Hall steam locomotive, once destined for the scrapyard, has been chosen to star as the iconic Hogwarts Express in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Filming begins this month, with a new cast of young actors stepping into the legendary roles of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. 🧙🏻‍♂️🪄

Read the full story behind the train, the cast, and the drama here: ⬇️https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14883849/Harry-Potter-new-Hogwarts-Express-revealed.html

03/07/2025

Outlander fans are abuzz with theories as Starz unveils all 10 episode titles for the upcoming prequel 'Blood of My Blood', premiering 8 August. The new series will trace the love stories of Jamie Fraser’s parents in 18th-century Scotland and Claire’s parents during WWI in England. One title ' ' has stirred particular excitement among Jacobite enthusiasts, as it references the town where the 1715 Rising began, hinting at rich political undercurrents alongside the romance.

Other titles like 'Luceo Non Uro' (the MacKenzie family motto) and 'Something Borrowed' are sparking speculation about clan loyalties and possible weddings. With its blend of historical intrigue and emotional storytelling, this prequel promises to deepen the Outlander universe and may offer fresh glimpses into the Jacobite era that shaped Jamie Fraser’s world.

What are your predictions for Blood of My Blood? Let’s hear them! ❔

Read the full article here:➡️ https://entertainmentnow.com/news/outlander-blood-of-my-blood-episode-titles/

23/06/2025

Ever wondered what surgery was like before modern medicine? Think bone saws, screaming patients, and zero pain relief. This vivid article lays it bare - and it’s as fascinating as it is horrifying.

Can you stomach an 18th century surgery? During an age before anaesthesia or antibiotics, going to the doctors could have been a very dangerous venture: from terrifying tools to crazy cures! 🩺

Needing an amputation? Because of the nature of the battle. injuries sustained at Culloden would have required limbs to be cut off. To reduce risk of shock and blood loss, surgeons had to be quick - an average amputation in the 1700s had to last around 3 minutes. Even then if your patient survived, any cut corners, dirty equipment, and general medical practices of the day meant a patient could have risked contracting harmful bacterial infections later on. 🪚

Popular cures at the time might seem crazy by today’s standards, but they were deemed sensible in the 18th century. Syphilis for instance was cured using mercury, a highly toxic metal. Doses offered were normally low enough to kill the bacteria but keep the patient alive. However, mercury also drives people to madness - but luckily there was a cure for that too! 🦠

Towards the top of the photo is a trio of rounded glass cups. Heating these up to high temperatures and placing them on a patient’s head resulted in blistering. This allowed “yellow bile” to be extracted which was what was believed to cause madness. Even King George III, the Duke of Cumberland’s nephew, experienced this treatment when he was diagnosed as mad! 🤴

Who knows what future medical historians will think of the practices conducted in today’s hospitals! 🩻

National Trust for Scotland

18/06/2025

❔🧙🏻‍♂️ Did you know that Hogsmeade Station, featured in the first Harry Potter film, is actually the real-life Goathland Station? 🚂🪄

Find out more about this beautiful North Yorkshire station here: ⬇️

A must-see is the celebrity station which became Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter film and featured as Aidensfield in the ITV programme Heartbeat. The charming village of Goathland is just a few minutes’ walk up the bank from the station, with a great range of shops and pubs. You co...

14/06/2025

The Jacobite's Journal was a weekly satirical newspaper edited by Henry Fielding, published between 5 December 1747 and 5 November 1748. This red chalk drawing was the basis for a woodcut headpiece, designed by William Hogarth. The drawing relates to an episode during the Jacobite Rising of 1745 when the Scottish sergeant, Dickson (holding a cup aloft), and a female drummer (carrying a banner and sword) rode a mule ahead of the main Jacobite army into Manchester, boasting that the locals had not put up any resistance, only for the Jacobites to be driven north a few days later.

The image shown at the bottom of the page, shows another figure pulling a mule who is reluctant to shift; its head appears at the edge of the sheet. The sheet has a partial, blank platemark; possibly drawn on a sheet of discarded printed paper.

📷Royal Collection Trust