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Commemoration of Battle of Harlaw

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen Peter Stephen and the Provost of Aberdeenshire Bill Howatson will mark the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Harlaw by attending a commemorative service at 11am on Sunday 24 July at the Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen.

The ecumenical service will be led by the Minister of the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting, Rev Stephen Taylor. A Prayer for the Fallen will be given by the Bishop of Aberdeen, Peter Moran. Representatives from clans involved in the battle will also attend.

The Lord Provost and Provost will then make their way to the site of the Battle of Harlaw Monument, Chapel of Garioch, near Inverurie, at 1.30pm for the official ceremony.

The Dean of Guild Fred Dalgarno will formally inaugurate the monument followed by Brigadier John Macfarlane reading an excerpt from an Incitement to Battle written in 1411. There will be prayers by the Rev Brian Dobby of the Chapel of Garioch and, as a lone piper plays a lament, the Lord Provost and the Provost will both lay wreaths.

Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart and David Irvine of Drum will then say a few words of reconciliation and shake hands.

The Battle of Harlaw was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of north-east Scotland against those from the west coast.

The battle was fought to resolve competing claims to the Earldom of Ross, a large region of northern Scotland. The Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland, had taken control of the earldom as guardian to his niece Euphemia Leslie. This claim was contested by Donald, Lord of the Isles, who had married Euphemia’s aunt Mariota. Donald invaded Ross with the intention of seizing the earldom by force.

First he defeated the MacKays at Dingwall, capturing the castle and then advancing on Aberdeen with 10,000 clansmen. Near Inverurie he was met by 1,000-2,000 of the local gentry, many in armour, hastily assembled by the Earl of Mar. After a day of fierce fighting there was no clear victor. Donald had lost 900 men before retreating to the Western Isles, and Mar had lost 500 men. Mar could claim a strategic victory in that Aberdeen was saved; within a year Albany had recaptured Ross and forced Donald to surrender; however Mariota was awarded the Earldom of Ross in 1424 and the Lords of the Isles would keep the title for much of the 15th century.

The Battle of Harlaw was so fierce it is often referred to ‘Red Harlaw’ and is commemorated by a 40ft high memorial on the battlefield.

Lord Provost of Aberdeen Peter Stephen said: “It is very fitting that Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council have worked in partnership to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Harlaw. Sunday will be a sombre day, with time for reflection on what was a bloody battle.”

Provost of Aberdeenshire Bill Howatson added: "This event marks a dark part of the history of Aberdeenshire, when differences were settled at sword-point and blood was spilled to settle claims.

“Thankfully as time moved on so did the way we settle our differences; by and large nowadays in the courts and assemblies of the land. The result is a material prosperity and security that would have been unimaginable to our forebears all those years ago.

“I am glad this allows us to gather here in unity and friendship to remember our colourful past and commemorate those who died in this brutal battle in partnership with our neighbours."

Following the wreath-laying the dignitaries will attend a civic reception at Inverurie Academy. The official ceremony and the reception are private and for invited guests only.

The site of the Battle of Harlaw monument will open to the public at 3pm so they will be able to view the new interpretation panel.

Organised by Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council, Sunday’s events form part of Aberdeen’s Tartan Week which sees a number of events arranged to commemorate the Battle of Harlaw.

For more information or to download a copy of Aberdeen’s Tartan Week visit www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/tartanday

The organisers of Aberdeen’s Tartan Week extend a warm welcome to all Clans visiting Aberdeen to remember the anniversary of the Battle of Harlaw, in particular, Clan Leslie of whom more than 40 representatives are expected to come to the city during the week. Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquhain, commander of the cavalry under the Earl of Mar, lost six sons at the battle along with many other Leslies.

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