Two rare Jacobite era pistols reunite in the small town that was a stronghold of the cause
The pistols are heading back to Montrose, Angus, where they were made and likely held
Two rare Jacobite era pistols representing a “tumultuous” period of Scottish history are to be reunited for the first time in more than 30 years in a new exhibition.
Dating to the late 17th century, the weapons are rare surviving examples of work by the gunmaker and goldsmith William Lyndsay the Elder of Montrose in Angus.
Experts said they are likely to have belonged to a wealthy and influential local family at a time when the town was renowned as a Jacobite stronghold, with Montorse becoming known to naval chiefs as “that most rebellious town” given local efforts to provide miltary and logistical support to the cause.
It is believed the pistols were taken to France following the failed Jacobite uprising of 1715 and remained there for more than 200 years.
The pistols came to light in France in 1993, when they came up for sale and were acquired separately by National Museums Scotland (NMS) and Montrose Museum.
They are now being reunited for the first time in more than 30 years in Tartan & Turmoil: The Angus Jacobite Story where the pistol on loan from NMS will be displayed alongside its pair.
Ella Paul, curator, Renaissance and Early Modern History at NMS, said: “These finely crafted pistols are extremely rare and I’m delighted we have the opportunity to reunite them.
“They represent a tumultuous period of Scottish history and the experiences of the Jacobite families forced into exile across Europe.
“We’re grateful for the support of Postcode Lottery players which allows National Museums Scotland to share the National Collection with audiences across the country, bringing these remarkable moments in Scotland’s past to life in a tangible and inspiring way.”
The steel heart butt pistols are richly decorated with intricate floral engravings and silver mounts, and are stamped with Lyndsay’s mark.
The exhibition, Tartan & Turmoil, will explore the pivotal role Angus played in Jacobite efforts to restore the Stuart dynasty to the throne, with the port of Montrose also once described as “the most disloyal and disaffected town in Scotland”.
The pistols will go on show alongside items such as treasures once owned by Stuart kings, intimate letters and everyday objects that illustrate stories of the Jacobite rebellion throughout Angus.
Emma Gilliland, Museums & Galleries Collections Lead at ANGUSalive, which runs the Montrose Museum, said: “We’re really excited to bring Angus’s Jacobite story to life for visitors.
“Everyone has heard about the Jacobites and Bonnie Prince Charlie, but the vital role that Angus played in the risings is little known.
“Some Jacobite objects from our collection are being exhibited for the very first time, and we will also be showcasing significant objects on loan from leading national institutions.
“We’re incredibly grateful to National Museums Scotland for their support with this – reuniting our Jacobite pistol with its pair is a really special part of the exhibition.”
While the Jacobite cause is forever linked to the Highlands and its clans, it has been said the strongest support that Prince Charles Edward Stuart ever received came from the North East, with Angus and the neighbouring Mearns a bedrock of loyalty during the 1745 rising.
Among that bedrock, the town of Montrose was where that loyalty held the firmest. In one Jacobite account, Montrose was referred to as a place where the “men of the highest wisdom in Scotland” could be found.
The ‘Old Pretender’ orJames Francis Edwart Stuart - Bonnie Prince Charlie’s father and the son of the deposed King James VII - fled to France from Montrose Harbour following the failed 1715 rising, which aimed to place him on the throne.
Thirty years later, at the peak of activity of the ‘45 Rising, the navy's HMS Hazard came under relentless fire in the harbour in November that year, with the boat and cannons then seized by the Jacobites, who had been heating up coals in the street to launch at the ship as the captain prepared his surrender.
Montrose, which had the only harbour in a 150-mile stretch that was navigable during low water, became a key position for the Jacobite forces supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie's campaign.
READ MORE: The woman who headed Jacobite military intelligence in Scotland and planned invasion of France
Professor Chris Duffy, the late scholar and author of The ‘45, The Untold Story of The Jacobite Rising, wrote: “Montrose was of the first importance to the cause of the Prince, for he had a large and active following there and it was the main port of ingress for supplies and reinforcements from France.”
As the rising unfolded, men and supplies arrived in Montrose from France at rapid pace, with 800 men from the Ecossais Royal, Lord John Drummond’s own French regiment, and piquets from six French Irish regiments.
Many local soldiers served with the Forfarshire regiment, led by 20-year-old David, Lord Ogilvy, heir to the House of Airlie, which still holds Cortachy Castle and Airlie Castle in the Angus Glens in its fold.
Those who signed up came from Ogilvy lands across Angus and the glens, with the muster roll of more than 800 men loaded with journeymen , weavers, ploughmen and workmen who signed up to their laird’s call.
While politics varied in Montrose, it is said townsmen were united in their interest in smuggling, Jacobitism and Episcopalianism. Around half of worshippers locally refused to pledge allegiance to George I in the early 1700s given their strong support for the Stuart cause.
Tartan & Turmoil: The Angus Jacobite Story opens on July 17 and runs until November 23 this year.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.