SHE raises a dram and salutes the dead of Culloden before pouring her whisky on their shallow grave.

Then she leans on the Victorian stone which marks the final resting place of Jacobite soldiers, either slain in Britain’s last battle or murdered immediately afterwards.

The woman, from New Zealand, is a fan of Outlander, the US drama. She has come to show her respect to its stars and those it inspired.

And like hundreds of others she has left her footprints on the site – digitally and literally – with a series of selfies.

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But historians – and Scotland’s last Jacobites – are increasingly worried. TV -inspired tourism, they say, is far from always respectful.

The Herald:

Alasdair MacNeill, of the Circle of Gentlemen, the once secret group set up in the aftermath of the Rebellion, appreciates the interest.

But he said: “These graves are only a foot deep. We really would ask that people respect what is a designated war grave where 1,200 men lie. “Some of the things I have seen at Culloden have really got my back up.”

Mr MacNeill first complained about tourists sitting on grave markers to picnic a decade ago. But the boom in selfies and the rise of Outlander has made such scenes far more common.

He said: “A lot of the visitors are American and seem to think they are on a film set rather than a war grave. They maybe don’t know the history. But how would they feel if I walked my dog across Gettysburg?”

Mr MacNeill’s concerns are echoed by history blogger Colin MacDonald, who said: “While most Outlander fans visit Culloden respectfully, social media shows us that a minority of those visitors continue to act inappropriately around the memorial stones and mass graves.”

Mr MacDonald wants the National Trust to do more to protect the site. He said: “As the caretakers of this nationally important site, the NTS is obliged to ensure that visitors treat Culloden with the respect that any war grave deserves.

“Clearly they are failing in this duty and I’d like to see them do more in preventing a small group of tourists from turning a Scottish war grave into a fan site for an American TV show.”

READ MORE: Fight to stop National Trust job cuts at historic Scots estates

Fans often leave little cardboard cut outs of Sam Heughan, the Scottish actor who stars as Jamie Fraser , a Jacobite, in the time-travel drama. Mr Heughan last year told The Herald a friend had seen a group of Americans at the Fraser grave. He said:”I don’t believe they were Frasers.” He added: “So many people, especially from America, say that there is something about Scotland; they feel they belong there.”

The Herald:

There is not thought to be an immediate danger to the graves but the NTS is understood to have a maintenance team on hand.

Its manager at the site, Katey Boal, welcomed the rise in interest thanks to Outlander.

She said: “The vast majority of visitors conduct themselves completely appropriately and treat the site and its features with respect. Where there are concerns, our staff always try to deal sensitively with issues as they arise.

READ MORE: Fight to stop National Trust job cuts at historic Scots estates

“Throughout the peak visitor season staff are on the battlefield regularly throughout the day, and of course, there are signs making it clear that this is a war grave.”

The Herald:

Diana Gabaldon, the creator of the time-travelling novels on which Outlander is based, took to Twitter on Wednesday reminding fans that Culloden is an historical war grave.

In a post to her 244,000 followers, she said: "Um, guys...? I know almost everyone approaches Culloden with the respect due its mournful history and the fact that it _is_ a war grave. But for the few...maybe think twice?"