Battle at Glen Shiel ... 300 years on. Not Forgotten ...

BBC seems to think it's a forgotten battle of the Jacobite Cause .. but it's not

… and this weekend it's being commemorated on its 300th anniversary. In the near future it will also feature on the new Jacobite Trail that's being created across Scotland and France and Ireland and Italy and of course England.

If it was forgotten why is there a sign, an information board & a C4 programme with Tony Robinson about it? And be assured hundreds of thousands of visitors to Eilean Donan Castle are told about it....



More detail of the occasion HERE



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Jacobites, supported by 300 Spanish troops, fought a government army loyal to King George I at the battle near Shiel Bridge. Despite their superior numbers, the Jacobites lost.The government side used a new type of mortar artillery against the Jacobite force. [NTS archaeologists have lately unearthed a fragment of one of the mortars fired as shown below.]



In a commemoration, involving the Association of Highland Clans and Societies, 12 wreaths are to be laid at the battle site on Saturday June 9th. Heritage and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop, National Trust for Scotland President Neil Oliver and Lt. Col Geraint Davies of the Army in Scotland today will be among those attending. Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor was also present.

The Association of Highland Clans and Societies said "too few" people in Scotland knew of the battle, which came during this failed Jacobite rising to restore the Stuart monarchy. The battle site is near the A87 road to Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye.

The Jacobite side was largely made up of the Clan Mackenzie, along with Camerons, and MacDougalls, as well as group of MacGregors whose numbers included Rob Roy MacGregor. The Spanish troops were based at Eilean Donan Castle before the battle and significantly the Campbells, a Clan that would in later risings fight for the government, also fought on the Jacobite side.

The Spanish marines involved were from Galicia and were briefly based at the famous Eilean Donan Castle at Dornie before the battle. One of the Spanish troops died of heatstroke in the week before the battle, due to the extreme heat in the Highlands that summer.

Among those fighting with the government army at Glen Shiel were members of the Clans Munro, Mackay, Sutherland and Fraser.

A hill at the scene of the battle is called Sgùrr nan Spàinteach, the Peak of the Spaniards.

Published Date: Saturday, June 8, 2019