Unexploded mortar shell from bloodiest battle in country's history unearthed after nearly 280 years

Archaeologists person uncovered a mortar ammunition from the bloodiest conflict successful Scotland's past — a ammunition that ne'er detonated.

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) announced successful mid-April that its archaeologists had recovered a mortar ammunition astatine Culloden Battlefield, conscionable extracurricular Inverness successful the Scottish Highlands.

The Battle of Culloden was fought connected April 16, 1746, erstwhile a Jacobite unit led by Charles Edward Stuart — known arsenic Bonnie Prince Charlie — clashed with troops loyal to King George II.

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In nether an hour, the Jacobites were crushed, ending immoderate superior bid to reconstruct the Stuart monarchy. Culloden remains the past large-scale pitched conflict fought connected British soil.

Officials judge that the precocious uncovered ammunition was fired by authorities artillery during the battle.

The intact artillery shell, recovered astatine Culloden, provides uncommon carnal grounds from 1 of Britain's astir decisive battles. (National Trust for Scotland; Will Murray)

"Intact and gunpowder-packed erstwhile it was discovered, the 5.5-inch ammunition is the archetypal portion of implicit authorities ordnance recovered astatine Culloden battlefield. [It] provides caller grounds for the deployment and enactment of authorities and Jacobite forces astatine pivotal moments successful the battle," the connection said.

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"Many different projectiles, including cannon shot, musket balls and fragments of mortar shells, person been uncovered astatine Culloden, but ne'er earlier has undetonated ordnance been found," the connection besides said. 

The shell, weighing astir 18 pounds, is believed to person been fired from 1 of the government's Coehorn mortars.

Archaeologists uncovered an unexploded mortar ammunition astatine Scotland's Culloden Battlefield, offering caller penetration into the 1746 clash. (iStock; National Trust for Scotland)

It was uncovered during excavations successful October 2025, but officials did not denote the find until April 16 — which marked the 280th day of the Battle of Culloden. 

Other projectiles, including pistol changeable and pb musket balls, were besides found.

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"Parts of the battlefield are connected boggy ground, and it is thought the ammunition landed connected bedewed crushed and the fuse extinguished earlier it could ignite the powder," noted officials.

The ammunition inactive contained remnants of its archetypal plug and traces of works material, which were recovered for analysis.

"This find helps america amended recognize the enactment of troops and attraction of occurrence during this brief, but brutal, battle."

Officials said that, erstwhile the achromatic pulverization successful the ammunition was exposed, determination was a "slight exothermic reaction."

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A specializer "safely cleaned retired the interior of the shell, preserved samples of the contents for further study, and certified the ammunition arsenic escaped from explosive hazard," the merchandise noted.

In a statement, the NTS's caput of archaeology, Derek Alexander, called the find a "remarkable — situation I say, explosive — find of the benignant archaeologists imagination of, but ne'er expect to encounter." 

Charles Edward Stuart, known arsenic Bonnie Prince Charlie, is seen astatine left. Archaeologists are continuing to uncover caller grounds from Culloden. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images; National Trust for Scotland)

"Along with the different projectiles recovered, this find helps america amended recognize the enactment of troops and attraction of occurrence during this brief, but brutal, battle," said Alexander.

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"The mortars whitethorn person been aiming astatine the Jacobite artillery, truthful the spot wherever the ammunition landed whitethorn people the bosom of the Culloden battlefield."

An NTS authoritative told Fox News Digital the ammunition was buried astir a ft underground — thing lone nonrecreational archaeologists could uncover — and that the tract remains harmless for visitors.

Archaeologists successful Scotland antecedently recovered much than 100 projectiles astatine Culloden Battlefield. (National Trust for Scotland)

The find comes conscionable months aft officials announced a akin find astatine the aforesaid conflict site.

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In precocious 2025, officials announced archaeologists had uncovered a cache of bullets fired during the Battle of Culloden, shedding caller airy connected its last moments.