A CENTRAL street in one Scottish town should be renamed as it currently honours a general known for his brutal execution of Scots soldiers at Culloden, locals say.
Residents of Kirriemuir, in Angus, are calling for Cumberland Close in the town centre to have its name changed to avoid association with the man known for the brutal pacification of the Scottish Highlands.
Prince William Augustus – known as “the butcher of Cumberland” – is a controversial figure in Scottish history due to his role in the battle of Culloden, where he reportedly ordered that all Jacobite soldiers left alive be executed.
During the pacification, all men believed to be rebels were killed, including civilians. Many settlements believed to be loyal to the Jacobites were burned and livestock was confiscated on a large scale – decimating many Highland communities.
The brutal campaign earned Augustus the title “Butcher Cumberland”, which led to the name of the Kirriemuir street.
But locals are calling for it to be changed, with an online petition that states: “We find it highly offensive that we celebrate the memory of this man in our proud town and would like the name changed to reflect good and not evil.
Please consider signing this petition. We should not be commemorating the Duke of Cumberland, someone who was responsible for so much pain and suffering in Scotland. https://t.co/GLqCt4mWk4
— KirrieGog (@gordonewan2) April 16, 2023
“The Duke led his Kingston horse brigade and Kerrs dragoons from Culloden, passing through the glens of Angus, raping and murdering men, women and children with no quarter given.”
After leading the British Red Coat forces to victory, Cumberland was given the freedom of the City of Glasgow and made Chancellor of both Aberdeen and St Andrews Universities.
The British government’s historic treatment of the Highlands is moving into more mainstream public consciousness, resulting in repeated calls to remove the Duke of Sutherland statue on Ben Bhraggie due to his role in the Highland clearances.
