Leanach Cottage on Culloden Battlefield which has become a pilgrimage site for Outlander fans has been vandalised.
The historic building, used as a field hospital during the Battle of Culloden, has had a window smashed.
The alleged act of vandalism has been described as “shameful behaviour” by the area’s councillor.
Councillor Duncan Macpherson, who represents Inverness South ward, saw the damage while out on a walk at the weekend.
The Culloden cottage is a huge draw for Outlander fans
Leanach Cottage at Culloden is high on the list for Outlander fans, as one of the few buildings still standing from the period in which the popular TV series and books are set.
Mr Macpherson says he has reported the damage to the police and owners, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).
He did not know when the window was broken, but said it must have been fairly recently.
The building, dating from the early 18th century was the infirmary for wounded and dying following the historic battle in April 1746, and is by far the oldest building in the area.
Mr Macpherson was shocked to find the damage at the cottage. He describes the thatched building as one of the most “iconic” in the north of Scotland.
He said: “As one of the Inverness South Highland councillors whose ward covers Culloden Battlefield, I was bitterly disappointed to see this damage to Leanach Cottage.
“The cottage has a broken glass window in what appears to have been a stone thrown in an apparent act of vandalism.
“If it is, as it appears, then it is shameful behaviour by the culprit, to desecrate one of our country’s most famous landmarks in this way.”
Mr Macpherson has reported the matter to the police. Police have been contacted to comment.
Why is Leanach Cottage so special?
The National Trust for Scotland was gifted Leanach Cottage in 1944 by Hector Forbes, the local land owner.
The cottage became the original visitor centre in 1961.
Historical maps show a number of farmsteads in the close vicinity of the battlefield with small pockets of individually cultivated land, however, Leanach is now one of the only surviving examples of this landscape.
The cottage itself was likely constructed in the early 18th century, probably as part of wider improvements on Culloden estate and originally would have been a T-shaped structure.
In the 17th and 18th century estate owners provided their tenants with the wood for their roof crucks whilst the tenant was responsible for the construction of the walls of their houses.
A MacDonald was the last resident of Leanach Cottage
During the Battle of Culloden Leanach Cottage was situated in between the government lines.
It is likely the building would have been used as a field hospital for the government men.
The last occupant of Leanach Cottage was Belle MacDonald who lived here until she died in 1912.
#LeanachCottage on @CullodenNTS Battlefield, after and before new heather thatch. Plus pic of Belle MacDonald in front of the cottage early 1900s. Belle was the last occupant until she died in 1912. She and her family used to guide people around the battlefield. #Outlander pic.twitter.com/2pRMNEDgFK
— Outlander Past Lives (@outlander_lives) January 26, 2019
Her family reportedly gave tours of the battlefield to interested visitors.
In 1924 the Gaelic Society of Inverness set out to repair and conserve the building and the original steeply pitched roof was replaced with a shallower one.
The National Trust for Scotland has been invited to comment.
