Document record MAB50526 - BATTLE OF GLENLIVET ALLTACOILEACHAN
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Summary
Site of the battle of Glenlivet, or Altachoylachan.
Protected Status/Designation
- Registered Battlefield BTL33: Battle of Glenlivet
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 2478 2967 (3663m by 3043m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ22NW |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Inveravon |
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Site of the battle of Glenlivet, or Altachoylachan. On the 3rd of October 1594, near Muckle Tomlach, the Roman Catholic Earls of Huntly and Errol, commanding a force of only 1500 horsemen and around 2000 Highlanders, led a surprise attack on the Protestant royalist army led by the Earl of Argyll and thought to number around 6000 to 7000 men. Argyll's men, taken at a disadvantage with his pike coming up behind with the baggage, were defeated leaving several hundred dead. Whilst Huntly's victory at Alltacoileachan is partly due to his possession of six small artillery pieces, the treachery of John Grant of Gartenberg, an ally of Argyll, must also have been a significant factor. There are contrasting reports that Argyll was at liberty to remain and bury his dead on the field after the battle or that he and his army fled the field. The Battle of Glenlivet was the last time highlanders carried the harp into battle. After 1594, the pipes were carried instead. Included on the Inventory of Battlefields (ref: BTL33). The Battle of Glenlivet is significant as an example of the ongoing struggles within Scotland between Presbyterians and Catholics, which colours much of Scotland's history after the Reformation, and the relentless efforts of the kirk to eliminate the Catholic faith from the country. A walkover survey was carried out by S. Farrell in December 2020 on an area of proposed woodland creation within the southern end of the battlefield. Metal detecting was also carried along the route of a proposed forestry access track within the same area. No features or artefacts were located.
Period Notes
3rd October 1594.
DUNBAR, AH, 1906, SCOTTISH KINGS, 367 (Bibliographic reference). SAB392.
MARREN, P, 1990, GRAMPIAN BATTLEFIELDS, 128-37 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1169.
FARRELL, S, 2020, REPORT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESKTOP AND WALKOVER AND METAL DETECTING SURVEY, MAINS OF MORINSH, BALLINDALLOCH (Bibliographic reference). SAB4172.
ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2022, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 22 (2021), p.124 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8314.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, No13(1836) 130 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- NMR Card Number: NJ22NW3;
- NRHE Numlink: 16298;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ22NW0003;
External Links (1)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/16298 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (5)
- --- SAB1169 Bibliographic reference: MARREN, P. 1990. GRAMPIAN BATTLEFIELDS. 128-37.
- --- SAB1269 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. NSA. No13(1836) 130.
- --- SAB392 Bibliographic reference: DUNBAR, AH. 1906. SCOTTISH KINGS. 367.
- --- SAB4172 Bibliographic reference: FARRELL, S. 2020. REPORT OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESKTOP AND WALKOVER AND METAL DETECTING SURVEY, MAINS OF MORINSH, BALLINDALLOCH.
- --- SAB8314 Bibliographic reference: ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND. 2022. DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 22 (2021). p.124.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
Record last edited
Mar 24 2026 12:37PM
