Sandside Chase

Sandside Chase
(Battle of Ruoig-Hansett)
Part of the Scottish clan wars

Sandside Bay
Date1437
Location
west of Thurso, Caithness
grid reference NC950642 [2]
58°33′48″N 3°47′13″W / 58.56333°N 3.78694°W / 58.56333; -3.78694
Result Mackay victory[3]
Belligerents
Clan Mackay Clan Gunn[1]
Commanders and leaders
Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver
John Aberach Mackay
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown "Crushing defeat"

The Sandside Chase (The Chase of Sandside, The Chase of Sansett; in Gaelic, Ruoig-Hansett, Ruaig Handside or Ruaig-Shansaid) was a Scottish clan battle which took place in 1437 in Caithness, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Thurso. The Clan Mackay launched a raid from Strathnaver towards Thurso until they encountered resistance from the locals at Dounreay.[2] The Mackays then pulled back to Sandside, where they were joined by reinforcements and slaughtered the defenders on the coast north of Reay.[2]

  1. ^ Sinclair, Thomas (1890). The Gunns. Wick, Caithness: William Rae. p. 7. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Site Record for Upper Dounreay, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Source1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).