Battle of Loup Hill

Who Fought

History & Significance

The Battle of Loup Hill took place near Loup Hill (Scottish Gaelic: Cruach na Luib) in Kintyre on 16 May 1689, during the Jacobite rising of 1689, a connected conflict of the Williamite War in Ireland.

In early May, Jacobite sympathisers took control of northern Kintyre, and when government troops arrived to retake the peninsula, they ran into an ambush on the slopes of Loup Hill. Despite the advantage of height and surprise, the Jacobites fought ineffectively and quickly retreated; a few days later, they abandoned Kintyre.

Losses on both sides were minimal and the battle itself was little more than a minor skirmish. However, the loss of Kintyre was a serious strategic setback for the Scottish rising, since it prevented them being easily re-supplied by their allies in Ulster.

In February 1685, the Catholic James II & VII came to power with widespread support; the 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms meant many in both England and Scotland feared the consequences of bypassing the 'natural heir'. A desire for stability led to the rapid collapse of the Monmouth Rebellion and Argyll's Rising in June 1685, both led by Protestant dissidents.

By 1680, over 95% of Scots belonged to the Church of Scotland, or kirk; Catholics numbered less than 2% of the population and even other Protestant sects were barred. The 1681 Scottish Test Act required holders of public office to be members of the kirk; James' attempts to repeal it undermined his own supporters, while rewarding the extreme Presbyterians who backed Argyll in 1685.

In June 1688, two events turned dissent into a crisis, the first being the birth of James Francis Edward on 10 June. This created the prospect of a Catholic dynasty, rather than James being succeeded by his Protestant daughter Mary, and her husband William of Orange. The second was the prosecution of the Seven Bishops, which seemed to extend official policy beyond mere tolerance for Catholicism to an assault on the established church. Their acquittal on 30 June destroyed James' political authority in both Scotland and England.

In 1685, many feared a return to civil war if James were bypassed; by 1688, anti-Catholic riots made it seem only his removal could prevent one. William landed in Brixham on 5 November with 14,000 men; as he advanced, James' army deserted, and on 23 December, he went into exile in France. In February 1689, the Parliament of England offered the English throne to William and Mary.

On 14 March, a Convention met in Edinburgh to agree a settlement for Scotland. It was dominated by supporters of the new administration, with 'Jacobites' restricted to those linked to James by religion or personal ties. However, the number of activists on either side was tiny, the vast majority being unenthusiastic about either option. On 12 March, James landed in Ireland, and the Convention offered the Scottish throne to William and Mary on 11 April. The next day Dundee raised the Royal Standard on Dundee Law, officially beginning the rebellion.

The ground they fought on

The site of Battle of Loup Hill lies on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is lava, tuff, volcaniclastic rock and sedimentary rock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Loup Hill

Ardno,cairn 820m ESE of

Scheduled monument · ~3.5 mi

Ardno Cairn is a Bronze Age funerary monument situated on moorland in Argyllshire, approximately 820 metres east-south-east of Ardno. The cairn sits upon bedrock of the Argyll Group, Neoproterozoic psammites, semipelites and pelites that form the underlying geology of this highland landscape. Thi…

Inveraray Castle, cross

Scheduled monument · ~6.2 mi

Inveraray Castle Cross is a cross monument located in Argyllshire, Scotland, and is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM253. The cross stands upon bedrock of the Argyll Group, a Neoproterozoic formation comprising metamorphic rocks of psammite, semipelite and pelite, whic…

Inveraray,cross,Front Street

Scheduled monument · ~6.3 mi

Inveraray Cross is a standing cross located on Front Street in Inveraray, Argyllshire. The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under designation SM254. As a focal point of the historic town centre, the cross rises from bedrock formed in the Neoproterozoic period, where Argyll G…

Auchtermally or Uachdar Mhaluidh,deserted township

Scheduled monument · ~8.2 mi

Auchtermally is a deserted township in Argyllshire, Scotland, whose landscape records centuries of human habitation now abandoned. The settlement lies upon bedrock of the Argyll Group, formed during the Neoproterozoic era and comprising psammite, semipelite and pelite—metamorphic rocks that shape…

Inistrynich,crannog 300m ESE of

Scheduled monument · Iron Age–Medieval · ~8.4 mi

Inistrynich Crannog is an Iron Age to medieval settlement located in Argyllshire, Scotland, situated approximately 300 metres east-south-east of Inistrynich. The monument represents a type of artificial or semi-artificial island dwelling characteristic of ancient and medieval Scotland, particular…

Inveruglas Castle, Inveruglas Isle, Loch Lomond

Scheduled monument · ~8.4 mi

Inveruglas Castle is a ruined fortified tower standing on Inveruglas Isle in Loch Lomond, Dunbartonshire. The castle occupies a naturally defensible position on an island within Scotland's largest freshwater loch, commanding views across the water to the surrounding Highland landscape. The underl…

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• Battle of Loup Hill · Wikidata
• Battle_of_Loup_Hill · Wikipedia