Bonnie Prince Charlie

Having arrived in Scotland from Rome in 1745, where he and his family were living in exile, the prince had raised an army and marched towards London with the aim of seizing the throne from King George II. On 4 December that year they reached Derby where they remained for 2 days. Described as the ‘high watermark’ of the Jacobite Rising, it was here that the decision was taken to retreat to Scotland; a move that ended with the defeat of the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746.

What can I see?

Highlights of the room include the original panelling from the now demolished Exeter House in Derby, where the Jacobite Council of War was held and the decision to retreat was made on 5 December 1745. Other items include furniture and paintings of the period to show how the room might have looked in 1745.

What can I learn?

The room tells the story of the attempts by the House of Stuart to regain the British throne, the events of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the role Derby played in this defining moment in world history.