Battlefield plans aim to make Philiphaugh a visitor attraction
Julie Nock, project manager for the philiphaugh community project at the battle of philiphaugh information board. Development of the battle site as a visitors attraction.
AN archaeological dig will be part of a £30,000 development of Philiphaugh battlefield as a visitor attraction.
The site, on Philiphaugh Estate near Selkirk, is of national importance, argues local historian Walter Elliot but is unmarked on maps.
Developers Philiphaugh Community Project’s (PCP) manager Julie Nock said: “We’ve been planning this for more than a year. It’s quite a significant battle site, the outcome changed the way we live today.”
The development cash – £29,500 – has come from Philiphaugh Estate, Scottish Borders Leader Programme and Scottish Borders Council.
The PCP plans a small- scale battlefield survey, an archaeological dig and geophysical survey to try to interpret troop movements starting in April.
And the project hopes local metal detecting enthusiasts will help in the battlefield research which will be run by Centre for Battlefield Archaeology experts.
Miss Nock said: “Philiphaugh has been a popular site with metal detectorists looking for artefacts and it is hoped that anyone who has found anything will help us to piece together the troop movements by bringing these items along to the dig.”
The 17th-century fight was a pivotal moment, said Mr Elliot. “The battle, fought on September 13, 1645, is a key event in the Civil War in Scotland as it represents the decisive defeat of Montrose and his hitherto seemingly unbeatable Royalist forces by a Covenanting army commanded by Leslie. This was the end of Royalist hopes in Scotland and eventually led to a Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland under Cromwell.”
Miss Nock said: “Putting the Battle of Philiphaugh on the map is a fantastic addition to the many tourist attractions in the Borders and will undoubtedly help us all to sustain our local economy.
“We hope that the interpreted battle site will be as successful as Bosworth Field in England, drawing visitors from across the UK and the rest of the world.”
She said the battle site has never been included on maps and is not signposted, though plans are under way to include it in Historic Scotland’s Inventory of Historic Battlefields.
The walkway at the side of the Selkirk – Moffat A708 road will be upgraded to form better links with the Selkirk town trail and the country tracks to Tibbie Tamson’s grave and the Southern Upland Way.
And the archaeological data will be put on interpretation panels and used to produce leaflets and a small booklet.
Schools are going to be invited to visit the site to allow pupils to see archaeologists at work, and anyone interested in those visits, metal detecting or to show artefacts should contact Julie Nock at info@philiphaugh.com
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