ANGUSalive unveils major Jacobite exhibition and special event with Outlander star Scott Kyle
Tartan & Turmoil: The Angus Jacobite Story, a new exhibition from ANGUSalive Museums and Galleries, will be on display at Montrose Museum from 18 July to 23 November 2026. In conjunction with the exhibition, join award-winning Outlander actor Scott Kyle for a special afternoon at Montrose Playhouse on Saturday 8 August at 1pm.
Step into a world of intrigue, loyalty, and rebellion at Montrose Museum, as the pivotal role Angus played in the Jacobite cause is revealed. From the bustling port of Montrose – once branded ‘the most disloyal and disaffected town in Scotland’ – gold, weapons, and secret reinforcements slipped across the sea from Europe to fuel the rising.
Trace the rebellion’s path through Arbroath, Brechin, and Forfar, where whispers of resistance stirred the blood of local people, and onward into the Angus Glens – a breathtaking landscape that became the stage for both defiance and eventual defeat. Here, in 1746, after the Battle of Culloden, the last flicker of Angus’s Jacobite hopes was finally extinguished.
Encounter treasures once owned by Stuart kings, intimate letters penned by Angus rebels, rare weaponry, and humble everyday objects that carry the weight of extraordinary stories. Meet not only lords, lairds and ladies, but the butchers, weavers, fishermen, innkeepers, and servants whose courage and conviction led them to fight for the doomed Jacobite cause.
Alongside objects from the significant Angus Collections, loans will be on display from National Galleries Scotland, National Museums Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Perth Museum and many more making this a unique opportunity to learn about Angus and the Jacobites.
Emma Gilliland, ANGUSalive Museums & Galleries Collections Lead said: “We’re excited to bring Angus’s Jacobite story to life for visitors. Everyone has heard about the Jacobites and Bonnie Prince Charlie, but the vital role that Angus played in the risings is little known. Some Jacobite objects from our collection are being exhibited for the very first time, and we will also be showcasing significant objects on loan from leading national institutions, so this is a really special exhibition.”
In conjunction with exhibition, join Scott Kyle for My Outlandish Story at Montrose Playhouse on Saturday 8 August at 1pm.
Award-winning actor, producer, and author Scott will share stories from behind the scenes of Outlander, Kajaki, The Angels’ Share and Billy & Tim. Scott’s life story is as compelling as the roles he’s known for, and he’ll also take his audience on a journey from foster care to international screens, creative stages and global audiences.
You will get a chance to chat and share a wee dram with Scott, courtesy of the Bothy Distillery, and purchase a signed copy of his book, ‘It’s Not Where You Start’.
ANGUSalive would like to thank Gin Bothy, Montrose Bag Company, and Taylor’s Auctions for sponsoring Tartan & Turmoil, and to The Montrose Playhouse the Bothy Distillery for supporting ‘My Outlandish Story’.
Find out more about the exhibition and related event at https://angusalive.scot/events/tartan-turmoil-the-angus-jacobite-story/
Map of The Shire of Angus or Forfar by H. Moll, Geographer, c.1745; acc. no. CS2025.5.
Peter Grant, known as Auld Dubrach, lived in Glen Lethnot. He is remembered today as the oldest documented survivor of the Battle of Culloden. Grant sat for this portrait in Colvin Smith’s studio in Brechin, aged an extraordinary 108 in 1822. Courtesy of National Galleries Scotland.
Cannonball recovered from Culloden battlefield with a silver collar engraved with ‘Ogilvy Culloden 16th April 1746’. Few are as poignant as this, with its provenance to a man who was there on the day leading a regiment. Courtesy of Culloden Battlefield, National Trust for Scotland.
