IT was the last pitched battle on British soil, the bloody but brief battle of Culloden where the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie was routed in less than an hour by musket and cannon. Almost three hundred years later the last two Jacobites standing were forced to flee the field in a health and safety blast from the National Trust for Scotland over their replica weapons.

Twice a month for the last decade, patriotic pensioners Ed and Sandy Hastings – from Canada, but proud and adopted Scots – have taken to the Inverness battlefield in their full Jacobite costumes, showing off their home-made weapons. There they entertain tourists, pose for photos and tell tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his claims to the thrones of Scotland, England, France and Ireland.

But two weeks back the couple were left reeling when an NTS manager – the trust owns the site – interrupted them mid-story and forced them off the field.

The Scottish conservation body say they’re simply clamping down on visitors taking weapons to the battlefield.

Sandy, a retired seamstress, and her husband Ed, a former postie, both 65, told the Sunday Herald, they couldn’t quite believe what had happened.

The Culloden Experience, as the trust describes it, is mixture of hi- tech – take in the battle immersion film where you can be at the centre of the action, minus the flesh wounds – to the recreated, the battlefield brought back to as it was when opposing forces met in 1746, now suitable for prams and wheelchairs. The original Old Leanach Cottage which was the farmhouse on the day, is restored, with added mod cons, tartan paraphernalia to purchase and helpful staff to sell you goods and recount the bloody history

Sandy takes up the story. “People come over to the cottage [where they stand]and get photos, we show them everything. And they’re happy, it’s a good experience. We don’t take money. They tend to donate to the National Trust inside,” she said.

“We’d already been there an hour, standing outside, and my husband was standing there explaining all the weapons, showing them everything. This woman comes out of nowhere, and said ‘do you have written consent from the National Trust’, and I said no, and she ‘well you have to leave immediately'.

“I was absolutely fuming I didn’t want to cause a big thing because you had all tourists standing around.”

“Talk about Highland clearances all over again here,“ she adds.

The couple moved to Scotland from Canada after Ed discovered his long lost-father was Scottish. Since then the Hastings in the full regalia have been a regular sight at historic sites, re-enactments and even around the streets of Inverness.

“We always thought the tourists when they come to Scotland they're not seeing the tartan, the kilts or anything like that,” Sandy said. “Sometimes we’re just down town in Inverness walking about in costume. Sometimes busloads of tourist arrive and they’re like ‘wow, this is a picture we need'. They tell us we’ve made their holidays. Sometimes people are here for two weeks without seeing a man in a kilt.”

Ed believes NTS are trying to move away from the kilts and tartan and shortbread image of Scotland, trying to make the Culloden experience more modern: “The costumes are kind of getting weeded out. It’s ridiculous. It’s like walking into a morgue in there. They [NTS staff] all wear black . It’s not the best.

“We can’t feel we can go there now."

There's been something of a global crackdown on costumed characters in tourist hotspots of late, including clowns obviously.

In April this year, after tourist complaints of overly aggressive desnudas (painted topless women), Elmos and superheroes, New York City Council passed legislation setting out strict rules for the costumed character of Times Square.

A National Trust for Scotland spokeswoman said there had been no change in policy but their crackdown was more to do with the weapons being bandied about:

“Culloden is a very popular site for visitors and we appreciate the passion that it inspires amongst history enthusiasts.

“As the owners and operators of this important site, the trust takes the safety and enjoyment of visitors seriously. Third parties bringing replica weapons onsite causes a particular problem, because we cannot be confident that they have the appropriate training or insurance in place.”

However hundreds of weapon-wielding Jacobites will descend on Culloden next April for the anniversary of the battle.

NTS confirmed to the Sunday Herald that this would not be affected and that they had been working alongside the event organisers.

A Jacobite force led by Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated at Culloden by a Government force on April 16 1746.