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Site of the battle of Glenlivet, or Altachoylachan. On the 3rd of October 1594, near Muckle Tomlach, the Roman Catholic Earls of Huntly and Errol, commanding a force of only 1500 horsemen and around 2000 Highlanders, led a surprise attack on the Protestant royalist army led by the Earl of Argyll and thought to number around 6000 to 7000 men. Argyll's men, taken at a disadvantage with his pike coming up behind with the baggage, were defeated leaving several hundred dead. Whilst Huntly's victory at Alltacoileachan is partly due to his possession of six small artillery pieces, the treachery of John Grant of Gartenberg, an ally of Argyll, must also have been a significant factor. There are contrasting reports that Argyll was at liberty to remain and bury his dead on the field after the battle or that he and his army fled the field. The Battle of Glenlivet was the last time highlanders carried the harp into battle. After 1594, the pipes were carried instead. Included on the Inventory of Battlefields (ref: BTL33). The Battle of Glenlivet is significant as an example of the ongoing struggles within Scotland between Presbyterians and Catholics, which colours much of Scotland's history after the Reformation, and the relentless efforts of the kirk to eliminate the Catholic faith from the country. A walkover survey was carried out by S. Farrell in December 2020 on an area of proposed woodland creation within the southern end of the battlefield. Metal detecting was also carried along the route of a proposed forestry access track within the same area. No features or artefacts were located.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Moray
HER -
NJ22NW0003 - BATTLE OF GLENLIVET ALLTACOILEACHAN