Sandside Chase

Sandside Chase
(Battle of Ruoig-Hansett)

Sandside Bay

Date	1437
Location	west of Thurso, Caithness grid reference NC950642 Coordinates: 58°33′48″N 3°47′13″W / 58.56333°N 3.78694°W / 58.56333; -3.78694
Result	Mackay victory

Belligerents

Clan Mackay

Clan Gunn

Commanders and leaders

Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver
John Aberach Mackay

Strength

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. The Mackays then pulled back to Sandside, where they were joined by reinforcements and slaughtered the defenders on the coast north of Reay.

Neil Wasse MacKay, son of Angus Dow MacKay, chief of Clan MacKay had been imprisoned in the Bass Rock by King James I of Scotland in 1427 for his part in the Battle of Harpsdale, which took place in 1426. Neil Wasse MacKay was released from the Bass Rock in 1436 and the following year raided Caithness in a repeat of the Battle of Harpsdale eleven years before.

The MacKays met the Caithness men at Dounreay (grid reference ND006658) and pushed them to the Forss Water before Caithness reinforcements made them retreat to Sandside (grid reference NC950642). There they were joined by the MacKay forces that had been posted on Drum Hollistan to protect their rear. Ian Aberach manoeuvred his opponents into a loop of the bay below Sandside House, and slaughtered them around the ancient fort of Cnoc Stangar. The survivors were chased back to Dounreay.

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