Battle of Altimarlach

Who Fought

History & Significance

The Battle of Altimarlach was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 13 July 1680, near Wick, Caithness, Scotland. It was fought in a dispute between Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy and George Sinclair of Keiss over who had the right to the title and lands of the Earl of Caithness. The battle was fought between men of the Clan Campbell and Clan Sinclair. Campbell of Glenorchy won a decisive victory in the battle, but Sinclair of Keiss later turned to the law and was awarded the title of Earl of Caithness.

According to James Tait Calder, George Sinclair, 6th Earl of Caithness, had sometime before his death in 1675 (or 1676) sold his estates to John Campbell, Lord Glenorchy, who was one of his principal creditors. According to William Anderson, in 1672, debt forced George Sinclair, 6th Earl of Caithness, to resign his titles and estates in favour of Sir John Campbell. Glenorchy married Caithness's widow, the Countess Dowager, who was also a daughter of Campbell, Earl of Argyll who in turn was a relation of Campbell of Glenorchy. Glenorchy then assumed the title of Earl of Caithness. However, according to Anderson, Glenorchy took possession of the estates on Sinclair's death in May 1676 and was created Earl of Caithness in June the following year. Glenorchy appointed Sir John Sinclair of Murkle as sheriff and justicary-depute of Caithness, as well as bailie of all the baronies on the Caithness estate, to secure an influential friend in the county. George Sinclair of Keiss, son of Francis Sinclair of Northfield, disputed Glenorchy's right to the title and especially to the lands of Northfield and Tister, which he had inherited from his father. According to Anderson, George Sinclair of Keiss disputed the claim and seized the land in 1678.

The claims of both were submitted to the four most eminent lawyers in Scotland at the time: Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, Sir Robert Sinclair of Longformacus, Sir George Lockhart, Lord Carnwath and Sir John Cunningham, 1st Baronet. They decided in favour of Glenorchy and forwarded their decision to King James VII of Scotland, who then sent a letter to the Privy Council of Scotland that ordered it to issue a proclamation prohibiting George Sinclair of Kess from assuming the title of Earl of Caithness. However, Sinclair of Keiss paid no attention to that and not only retained possession of the lands, which he claimed by his own inheritance, but also annoyed Glenorchy's chamberlains so much that they found it extremely difficult to collect the rents. Almost all of the gentlemen in the county supported the cause of Sinclair of Keiss, in particular David Sinclair of Broynach and William Sinclair of Thura. They gave him all the aid in their power and even helped him to demolish the castle of Thurso East of which Glenorchy had taken possession. The common people were also friendly towards Sinclair of Keiss, and Glenorchy was looked upon as an usurper who had taken advantage of the necessities of the late Earl and cheated him out of his title and property.

The ground they fought on

The site of Battle of Altimarlach lies on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Altimarlach

Green Hill,broch 300m W of Mordwall

Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~1.2 mi

Green Hill Broch is an Iron Age broch located 300 metres west of Mordwall in Caithness, Scotland. Brochs are distinctive circular stone towers unique to northern Britain, typically dating from the Iron Age. This example stands upon Middle Old Red Sandstone bedrock of Middle Devonian age, which wo…

North Bilbster, standing stone 120m W of

Scheduled monument · Bronze Age · ~3.1 mi

North Bilbster is a Bronze Age standing stone situated in Caithness, Scotland, standing 120 metres west of the settlement from which it takes its name. The monument rises from bedrock composed of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a formation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone dating to th…

Tannach Mains,broch 275m N of

Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~3.2 mi

Tannach Mains is a Iron Age broch situated in Caithness, northern Scotland. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a mixed sequence of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Middle Devonian period. This local geology of relatively soft sedimentar…

Castle Girnigoe and Castle Sinclair

Scheduled monument · ~3.3 mi

Castle Girnigoe is a ruined late medieval and early modern fortress located on a headland near Wick in Caithness, northern Scotland. The castle was developed from the late 15th century onwards by the Sinclair family, earls of Caithness, with significant construction and modification continuing in…

Hempriggs, broch 200m S of

Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~3.5 mi

Hempriggs is a broch located 200 metres south of the settlement of Hempriggs in Caithness, Scotland. Brochs were Iron Age defensive structures built across northern Scotland between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. These distinctive round stone towers typically stood between 10 and 15 metre…

Bilbster, chambered cairn 1040m NNE of Bylbster Bridge

Scheduled monument · Neolithic · ~4.1 mi

Bilbster is a Neolithic chambered cairn located in Caithness, north-east Scotland, situated 1040 metres north-north-east of Bylbster Bridge. The monument stands upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a sequence of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Middle Devo…

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