The 300-year-old legend about a Jacobite era assassination on Bonnie Prince Charlie finally answered

It was a legend about an assassination attempt on Bonnie Prince Charlie that had been passed down over centuries, but had never been proven.

Now, a team of volunteers working in Bannockburn House have unearthed a musket ball hole that proves an attempt was made on the life of the Young Pretender during the Jacobite Rising of 1745 - after speaking to an 89-year-old man whose aunt worked as a housekeeper at the property.

The house’s oral history traditions claimed that a musketball was fired at the prince through the window of the bedroom where he was sleeping and and lodged itself in the wall at the head of the bed.

However, this could never be proved, until a team of volunteers finally found the hole left by the musket ball under a secret panel in April.

The revelation has been announced by historians on the 279th anniversary of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s arrival on Scottish soil, to try to regain the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on behalf of his father, James Stuart.

Jacobite historian Professor Murray Pittock, of the University of Glasgow, next to the musket ball hole | Bannockburn House

In January 1746, the prince took ill and convalesced at Bannockburn House at the behest of Sir Hugh Paterson, 3rd Baronet of Bannockburn, when the Jacobite army laid siege of Stirling Castle. During his time there, the Prince also met Sir Hugh’s niece, Clementina Walkinshaw, and the pair had a daughter, Charlotte, Duchess of Albany.

The bedroom where he stayed, located on the first floor’s west wing, is adorned with a delicate plaster frieze of mermaids and has multiple layers of ancient wooden panelling.

Trust volunteers Anne Monaghan and Anna Morrison, who had been searching for the hole, but did not know where to begin, arranged a visit with an 89-year-old Edinburgh resident, whose aunt was housekeeper for the last owner-in-residence, who provided the crucial lead.

He told them his aunt had taken great pride in looking after the bullet hole. When they arrived back in Stirling, they contacted Catherine Bradley, lead volunteer researcher for the charity, who met them the next day to investigate the room.

Jacobite historian Professor Murray Pittock of the University of Glasgow and Stirling Council archaeologist, Dr Murray Cook, both confirmed the authenticity of the find. “Anne and I noticed what appeared to be the edge of an inset panel in the wall when cleaning out the room furniture recently for conservation,” Ms Bradley said. “I suspected that is where it may have been.”

Bannockburn House

“It is across from a window, now hidden by panelling later put in the room sometime in the 1880s. I just didn’t have the evidence to look until now. It was an exciting moment as I opened it. I carefully lifted the panel and saw the splintered wood and I knew we’d found something very special.”

The volunteers contacted Prof Pittock and Dr Cook for help.

Dr Cook said: “I have visited the bedroom many times over the years and always tried to imagine the Prince and the resulting confusion from the musket fire and sounds of smashing glass alerting everyone to the assassin.

“However, to see the damage and to touch the spot sent a thrill down my spine - an incredible tangible experience and worth visiting Bannockburn House for this alone.”

The find is now under threat from severe water ingress caused by the deterioration of the building. The Bannockburn House Trust, which looks after the property, is launching a major fundraising campaign to proceed with vital preservation work.

"Our goal is to restore the building and protect the musket ball hole and other important historical features of Bannockburn House," said Amanda Monaghan, spokesperson and operations manager for the charity.