Battle of Torran-Roy
Who Fought
Murrays of Aberscross (a sept of Clan Sutherland, principal vassals of the Earl of Sutherland)
followers of Alexander Sutherland, 8th of Duffus (; supported by the Earl of Caithness and Clan Sinclair); the subsequent siege was conducted by the Master of Caithness and the Mackays.
History & Significance
The Battle of Torran-Roy was a Scottish clan battle that took place in the year 1570 in the county of Sutherland, Scotland. It was fought between the forces of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (chief of Clan Sutherland) and the forces of George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness (chief of the Clan Sinclair). The Earl of Sutherland's force consisted primarily of the Murrays (or Morays) of Aberscross who despite their name were not part of the Clan Murray in Atholl, but who were a sept of the Clan Sutherland, and who as the principal vassals of the Earl of Sutherland, were charged with the defense of the shire. The Earl of Caithness's forces consisted primarily of followers of Alexander Sutherland, 8th of Duffus who was a descendant of the old Sutherland Earls of Sutherland who had been ousted and replaced by the Gordons as earls in the early 16th-century.
In 1570 a feud arose between the Gordon Earl of Sutherland and the Earl of Caithness, chief of Clan Sinclair. Caithness was supported by his father-in-law Alexander Sutherland, 8th of Duffus, (a descendant of the old Sutherland Earls of Sutherland). Caithness made Sutherland of Duffus's brother, William Sutherland of Evelick, attack the Murrays of Aberscors (Aberscross) in vengeance, taking prisoner John Croy-Murray. Hugh Murray of Aberscors then assembled his friends and made incursions upon the lands of Evelick as well as laying waste to several villages belonging to the Sutherland Laird of Duffus and taking hostage a Sutherland gentlemen to secure the safety of John Croy-Murray. The Sutherland Laird of Duffus then gathered all of his kinsmen at Skibo Castle and proceeded to the town of Dornoch with the intention of burning it.
The Murrays went out and met the Sutherlands of Duffus in battle, overthrowing them and pursuing them back to the gates of Skibo. Prisoners were then exchanged for John Croy-Murray. This was known as the skirmish of Torran-Roy. However, on hearing of the news of the skirmish of Torran-Roy, the Earl of Caithness sent the Master of Caithness who, along with the Mackays, besieged the Murrays in Dornoch Castle and the church. The Murrays held out for a week before surrendering after which three of them were beheaded.
George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness later imprisoned his son, the Master of Caithnes, for making peace with the Murrays. In 1590 John Morray of Aberscross was killed leading the Clan Sutherland against the Earl of Caithness at the Battle of Clynetradwell.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Torran-Roy lies on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.
After the Sutherland Laird of Duffus assembled his kinsmen at Skibo Castle and marched upon Dornoch intending to burn it, the Murrays of Aberscross went out and met them in open battle, overthrowing them and pursuing them back to the gates of Skibo Castle itself; yet the victory proved a costly one, for on hearing of the skirmish the Earl of Caithness sent the Master of Caithness who, joined by the Mackays, besieged the victorious Murrays in Dornoch Castle and the church, holding them there for a full week until they surrendered, whereupon three of the Murrays were beheaded.
- Three Murrays were beheaded following the surrender at Dornoch Castle; no further casualty figures are recorded in the sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
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