Battlefield lecture in parliament

An artist's impression of the new centre

The National Trust for Scotland's Culloden Battlefield Memorial Centre Appeal is to feature at the Scottish Parliament's Festival of Politics.

Historian Dan Snow, presenter of the BBC's Battlefield Britain series, will give a public lecture on Culloden at the parliament on 26 August.

The trust has been trying to ensure the completion of the £8m building in time for the 2007 Highland Year of Culture.

NTS also hopes Mr Snow's talk will be available on the internet.

The trust is aiming to make it accessible at www.holyrood.tv in English and Gaelic.

Jacobite artefacts

Jacobite artefacts intended for the new centre will go on display at a Culloden Exhibition from 31 July to 9 September at the Trust Central Office in Edinburgh.

The new building will replace the existing one which the trust said attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year.

Culloden Moor was the scene of the last major battle fought on mainland Britain.

The battle took place on 16 April, 1746 and effectively ended Jacobite hopes of restoring the exiled Stuart dynasty to the throne of Britain.

The army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart was crushed by government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland in less than an hour.