The Sandside Chase (The Chase of Sandside, The Chase of Sansett; in

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

, Ruoig-Hansett, Ruaig Handside or Ruaig-Shansaid) was a

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Goidelic languages, Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official ...

battle which took place in 1437 in

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...

, about west of

Thurso Thurso (pronounced ; sco, Thursa, gd, Inbhir Theòrsa ) is a town and former burgh on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. Situated in the historical County of Caithness, it is the northernmost town on the island of Great ...

. The

Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; gd, Clann Mhic Aoidh ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I ...

launched a raid from

Strathnaver Strathnaver or Strath Naver ( gd, Srath Nabhair) is the fertile strath of the River Naver, a famous salmon river that flows from Loch Naver to the north coast of Scotland. The term has a broader use as the name of an ancient province also kn ...

towards Thurso until they encountered resistance from the locals at

Dounreay Dounreay (; gd, Dùnrath) is a small settlement and the site of two large nuclear establishments on the north coast of Caithness in the Highland area of Scotland. It is on the A836 road west of Thurso. The nuclear establishments were create ...

. The Mackays then pulled back to Sandside, where they were joined by reinforcements and slaughtered the defenders on the coast north of

Reay Reay ( gd, Ràth) is a village which has grown around Sandside Bay on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. It is within the historic Parish of Reay and the historic county of Caithness. The village is on the A836 road some ...

Background

Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver, son of Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver, chief of Clan Mackay had been imprisoned on the

Bass Rock The Bass Rock, or simply the Bass (), ( gd, Creag nam Bathais or gd, Am Bas) is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland. Approximately offshore, and north-east of North Berwick, it is a steep-sided volcan ...

by King

James I of Scotland James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of Ro ...

in 1427 for his part in the

Battle of Harpsdale The Battle of Harpsdale (Battle of Achardale, Battle of Harpasdal) was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1426 at Achardale, about south of Thurso. The Clan Mackay had invaded Caithness from the west and Harpsdale was where the local Clan Gunn c ...

, which took place in 1426. Neil Wasse Mackay was released from the Bass Rock in 1436 and the following year raided Caithness in a repeat of the

eleven years before.

Battle

The Mackays met the Caithness men at Dounreay () and pushed them to the

Forss Water Forss Water, known also as Forss River, has its source at the northern end of Loch Shurrey, at . About 13 kilometres north of its source the river flows into Crosskirk Bay and the Atlantic Ocean at . Crosskirk Bay is on the north coast of Great Br ...

before Caithness reinforcements made them retreat to Sandside (). There they were joined by the Mackay forces that had been posted on Drum Hollistan to protect their rear. Ian Aberach manoeuvred his opponents into a loop of the bay below Sandside House, and slaughtered them around the ancient fort of Cnoc Stangar. The survivors were chased back to Dounreay. A row of some 60 stones still standing at in 1915 were said to mark the graves of some of those killed in the battle, but they had disappeared by 1964.

Accounts of the Battle

Conflicts of the Clans

An account of the battle was written in the book ''Conflicts of the Clans'' which was published by the

Foulis press Robert Foulis (20 April 1707 in Glasgow – 2 June 1776 in Edinburgh) was a Scottish printer and publisher. Biography Robert Foulis was born the son of a maltman. He was apprenticed to a barber, but was encouraged to become a publisher by F ...

in 1764 and which was written from Sir Robert Gordon's manuscript which was written in the time of King James VI of Scotland (1566 - 1625): :The year of god 1437, Neil Wasse Mackay, after his release out of the Bass, entered Caithness with all hostility, and spoiled all that country. He skirmished with some of the inhabitants of that province at a place called Sanset, where he overthrew them with slaughter on either side. This conflict was called Ruaig-hanset, that is the Chase at Sanset. Shortly thereafter Neil Wasse died.

Sir Robert Gordon

Sir Robert Gordon's (1580–1656) manuscript was published in 1813 and has an account of the battle as follows: :Neil- wasse-MacKay, immediately after his release out of the Bass, the year 1437, entered into Caithness, and spoiled the country. He skirmished with some of the people of the country, at a place called Sansett, where he overthrew them, with slaughter on either side. This conflict was called Ruoig-Hansett, that is, the flight or chase at Sansett. After which Neil-Wasse died, leaving two sons, Angus and John-Roy. Of this John-Roy, the Sleaght-ean-Roy (offspring of John-Roy) are descended.

Robert Mackay

A traditional account of the battle was written by Robert Mackay in his book the ''History of the House and Clan of the Name Mackay'', published in 1829: :The tradition regarding this invasion, is to the following effect: The people of Caithness had committed some depredations on the east parts of the Reay country, in return for which, he and his brother John-Abrach with their men, marched into Caithness, and took a great spoil with them. The better to provide against an assault, they placed a reserve about the border beyond Drimholisten, (Prospect-hill) to be ready to assist, if necessary. Neil and John were overtaken by a great company of Caithness-men at Downreay, when a fierce conflict ensued; but at length the latter fled, and were pursued with slaughter about four miles to the water of Forss, where Niel and John saw a fresh company marching with speed down the hill of Forss, to assist their flying countrymen. The MacKays then retired back as far as Sanside, before their opponents got up with them, and by that time they were joined by their reserve. A most desperate engagement followed, which terminated in the defeat and flight of the Caithness-men, who were pursued with considerable slaughter as far as Downreay, about three miles. It is to this day called Ruoig Haundsaid, i.e. the Sandside Chace.

References

{{Scottish clan battles, state=collapsed 1437 in Scotland 15th-century Scottish clan battles History of the Scottish Highlands Conflicts in 1437

Sandside Chase The Sandside Chase (The Chase of Sandside, The Chase of Sansett; in Gaelic, Ruoig-Hansett, Ruaig Handside or Ruaig-Shansaid) was a Scottish clan battle which took place in 1437 in Caithness, about west of Thurso. The Clan Mackay launched a raid ...

Caithness