Archaeology PhD researcher Megan Olshefski completes a 95-mile walk in memory of the 17th century Scottish soldiers forced to march from Dunbar to Durham Cathedral after the 1650 Battle of Dunbar.
Congratulations to Megan Olshefski, Department of Archaeology, Durham University, for completing a 95-mile walk from Dunbar to Durham.
The researcher, filmmaker and documentary producer began the trek on the 3rd September, marking the 373rd anniversary of the Battle of Dunbar.
In 1650, the Scottish army were defeated at Dunbar by English forces led by Oliver Cromwell. Thousands of Scottish prisoners of war were then forced to march south. In honour of these soldiers, Megan's walk followed a similar route, stopping at each town where the POWs were held overnight: Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Belford, Alnwick, Morpeth and Newcastle. On the 9th September, the final stop was Durham Cathedral, where the soldiers who had survived the march were then imprisoned.
A 2013 discovery of two mass graves during construction work at Durham's Palace Green Library had spurred research into the Scottish soldiers and revealed the awful conditions they endured. Further research found that some of the surviving prisoners were eventually transported to work overseas as indentured servants in New England.
Ten years on from this discovery, Megan builds on this research through her project, 'Archaeological Formation of Identity, Memory, and Heritage of Seventeenth Century Scottish Prisoners of War'. This project focuses on those sent to New England, where descendants of these soldiers still live today and elsewhere across the US.
Our Department of Archaeology is a leading centre for the study of archaeology and is ranked 10th in the world (QS World University Rankings by subject 2023). We are an inclusive, vibrant and international community. Our students develop knowledge and gain essential and transferable skills through research-led teaching and lab-based training.
