Battle Of Inverlochy (1645)

The battles of Inverlochy (NN17NW 3 and NN17NW 71) were fought where the British Aluminium Works now stand (notice erected by the Lochaber Hist Soc in 1969) as relics were found during the construction of the works and were donated to the West Highland Museum in Fort William.

Visited by OS (NKB), 11 May 1970.

NN 126 750

(Name: NN 118 752) Site of (NAT)

Battles of Inverlochy (NR) (AD 1431 and 1645) (NAT)

OS 6" map (1904)

'A': The Battle of Inverlochy, fought in January 1431 (NN17NW 3) , seems to have been centred on the castle of Inverlochy (NN17NW 1). It was one of a series of battles in which James I attempted to break the power of Alexander, Lord of the Isles.

Donald Balloch, cousin of Alexander, with the island clansmen, sailed

up Loch Linnhe, landed near Inverlochy, where the royal forces were stationed and attacked it from the S, while Alasdair Carrach of Tor Castle (NN17NW 2) attacked simultaneously from the N. The royal forces were routed.

'B': The second Battle of Inverlochy was fought on the 2nd February 1645 (NN17NW 71) by the royalist army, under the Marquis of Montrose, and the Covenanters, under the Marquis of Argyll.

Argyll, based on Inverlochy, faced Montrose approaching from the NE down the Great Glen.

The battle commenced a short distance SE of the castle, i.e. towards

the mouth of Glen Nevis. Argyll's forces lined the ridge at Tomnahara (Tomnaharry - NN 119 751) overlooking the present highway, having left about 50 men to guard the castle against a surprise attack.

Montrose and his men occupied the almost parallel ridge to that of Argyll which stretches across the mouth of Glen Nevis to the E of the railway, i.e. the vicinity of the present carbon factory ground which used to be called Goirtean Odhar (dun-coloured arable ground) (NN 123 750). As the Campbells were pressed back by the forces of Montrose,

the final scenes of the battle developed on the plain to the S of the castle which is now bisected by the Fort William to Mallaig railway.

The Covenanters made the first onset but were repulsed by the royalists ad pressed back with heavy losses, before they broke and fled.

(This would place the initial phases of the battle at about NN 1215 7510 with the later phases being conducted in the vicinity of the published site).

D B MacCulloch 1971.

NN 118 752 (centred on) A desk-based assessment and metal detector survey were carried out, 25–28 June 2012, along the route of a power line through battlefield sites by Inverlochy Castle. The work was carried out in advance of the construction of a new switchroom at Inverlochy substation and the laying of a cable at Blar Mhor, and aimed to assess their potential impact upon the sites of two battles (1431 and 1645). A c510m long by 5m wide corridor was surveyed across the battlefield. A range of modern finds was recovered, including cans, coins and fragments that were probably from farm machinery and cars.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: SSE

Ray Cachart, Alder Archaeology Ltd

2012

Alder Archaeology Ltd was contracted by John Lewis of Scotia Archaeology Ltd to undertake an archaeological metal detecting survey, Alder site code FW03, on the proposed line of an electricity cable, earth wire and new pole, for Scottish and Southern Electricity.

The site is a field centred on NN 12155 75392 which forms part of the ground upon which the battles of as Inverlochy I (1431) and Inverlochy II (1645) were fought, and it was hoped to find artefacts from these encounters. The ground surveyed is to the S of the former Inverlochy Mains Farm building and is currently in use by Stramash as an outdoor nursery for 2 to 5-year-old children. The site contains two yurts and many small lightweight wooden structures for playing/learning.

The electricity pole will be located at NGR NN 12143 75346, approximately 100m to the SE of Old Inverlochy Castle. The electric cable proposed route extends 77m to NNE of the pole site while the earth wire route will extend 63m to the E of the pole (total length 140m). A corridor 5m wide was surveyed over this route. The work was carried out on 14th December 2016 in very wet conditions. The metal detecting finds were all modern; coins, cans, nails, metal tube, bolt, toy cars, etc. Nothing that could be related to the 15th and 17th century battles was recovered. It was concluded that no metal artefacts dating from the conflicts were to be found along the 5m wide corridor surveyed. Further archaeological work in the form of a watching brief will be undertaken during the groundworks for the installation of the electricity supply.

Information from Alder Archaeology Ltd

A memorial was erected in 1995 on a ridge that over looks the site of the Battle of Inverlochy fought on the 2 February 1645. The moument was dontated by Alcan Smeltins and Power UK.

Information from HES 7 June 2022