Introduction
The Battle of Dunkeld took place at the now popular village situated on the banks of the River Tay in central Scotland. Location is about fifteen miles north of Perth.
River Tay near site of battle
In the past Dunkeld has played an important role in Scotland’s history. The name translates as ‘Fort of the Caledonians’. The latter were one of the tribes encountered by the Romans about 2000 years ago. During the period AD 600-900 excavations have found the site was an important power centre. In the 9th-12th centuries AD Dunkeld became an important centre of Christianity.
However, arguably Dunkeld’s main claim to fame is the battle which took place there on August 21st 1689. This has to be viewed in context of tensions arising in the late 17th century which gave rise to the Glencoe Massacre plus three battles.
The catalyst for these battles was the rejection of the Catholic leaning King James VII/James II by the British establishment and replacement by the Protestants, William and Mary in 1688. However, James still retained a loyal following, particularly in the Highlands, with such supporters known as Jacobites (Latin for James).
The Battle
On July 27th 1689 there was a battle at nearby Killiecrankie at which a Jacobite force prevailed over that of the government. However, this success came at cost of the loss of the Jacobites inspirational commander, ‘Bonnie’ Dundee. At Dunkeld the Jacobites were led by Colonel Cannon and the government forces by Lt-Colonel Cleland.
Redcoat soldiers in action.
The government forces, Cameronians, totalling some 1200 men occupied Dunkeld and were subject to attack in the early hours of August 21st by 5000 Jacobite clansmen. Fighting was very fierce with the Cameronians resorting to burning local houses as they were progressively pushed back. The final redoubt of the Cameronians comprised the twin bastions of the Cathedral and Dunkeld House (now the Hilton Hotel).
The Cameronians, surprisingly, ultimately prevailed with 300 Jacobite dead for the loss of 45 Cameronians. Latter casualties included Lt-Colonel Cleland who is buried in the cathedral site.
After the battle
After Dunkeld the Jacobite army dispersed with James suffering a final defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland the following year. However, there were subsequent Jacobite uprisings in the 18th century culminating in the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
More information
For more information concerning Scottish battles, Scottish history and sightseeing in Scotland please refer to Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-1. This book is also available via Kindle.