Herbert Coutts Joins Battle Trustees

Welcome for a New Trustee with Big City 'Arts & Culture' Experience

The Trustees of the Campaign for the Better Conservation, Interpretation and Presentation of the Battle of Prestonpans 1745 were delighted at their June 2007 Meeting to elect Herbert Coutts as a fellow Trustee.

Herbert brings to the Trustee team an extraordinarily wide experience after 35 years in Edinburgh City's recreation, cultural and library services. From 1998 until his retirement late in 2006 he was Head of Culture and Leisure there and oversaw many major projects including the refurbishmnet of the Usher Hall. In earlier years he played a key role in creating the City Art Centre in 1980, the restoration of the Scott Monument in 1999 and the creation of Makar's Court, dubbed Scotland's Poet's Corner the year before.

He will be working and advising across all areas of the Trust's activities but has been particularly asked to be involved initially in the creation of the Battle of Prestonpans Biennial Symposium, bringing all involved stakeholders at all levels in the community into a discussion and debating forum. These potentially include all interested indwellers, the Prestonpans Historical Society and the East Lothian Antiquarians, Historic Scotland, Visit Scotland, Scottish Power and local farmers/ landowners including the Catholic Church in Scotland, East Lothian and Prestonpans Community Councils, Culture Ministers and Shadows/ MSPs, the local Arts Festivals and Clubs, the 1745 Clan Chiefs' and Hanoverian Representers Committee of High Patronage, university researchers in battlefield archaeology, Jacobite literature and history, the 1745 Association and the Royal Stuart Society ... indeed any and all who care to share in the Trust's vision of what can be accomplished.

The Trust's message to the local community and to Scotland at large is: Victory Hope & Ambition. That was the Jacobite mood after the Battle on September 21st 1745.