Sutherland of Forse

The Sutherlands of Forse were a minor Scottish noble family. Kenneth Sutherland, 1st of Forse was the second son of William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland.^[1] They were a cadet branch of the Clan Sutherland.

The Sutherland Lairds of Forse were seated at Forse Castle on the east coast of the county of Caithness.^[2] They lived there until about the year 1660.^[2] They later built a mansion house about a mile inland. This was demolished and replaced with a greater mansion house called "Forse House" which the Lairds of Forse occupied until 1905 and has since been used as a hotel and nursing home.^[2]

In the early 16th century the Earldom of Sutherland passed through a female heiress to the Gordon family.^[3] Later, during the late 16th century the Sutherland Lairds of Forse supported the Earl of Caithness in a feud against the Gordon family who had taken over as Earls of Sutherland, and Nicolas Sutherland, brother of the Laird of Forse was killed at the Battle of Clynetradwell in 1590.^[4]

John Sutherland of Forse was a captain in Loudon's Highlanders regiment during the Jacobite rising of 1745.^[5]

Upon the death of William Gordon, 18th Earl of Sutherland in 1766, George Sutherland of Forse made a claim for the Earldom, based on his descent from William, 5th Earl of Sutherland who died in 1370. However, the House of Lords found the case in favour of Elizabeth, only surviving daughter of the 18th Earl.^[6][7] The last Sutherland Laird of Forse in the direct line died in 1909, leaving two daughters but no son.^[2]