Memorial stone erected to commemorate 'both sides' of battle
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A further step has been taken in the development of an ambitious project to commemorate the Battle of Littleferry.
Having been extracted and transported to its place, the Battle of Littleferry memorial stone was set in its final location on the morning of January 26 where it now overlooks much of the battle site situated on Ferry Road near Golspie.
This milestone is the latest in a series of steps taken by the Battle of Littleferry project team to commemorate those who fell during the conflict, which took place in 1746 before the Battle of Culloden.
The project team agreed upon the wording and design before it was was moved to its final site on a piece of farmland belonging to Angus McCall, who is also a member of the team.
Project leader Major General Patrick Marriott said: "Our intention is to ensure the stone looks natural in its setting against the extraordinary backdrop of Ben Tarvie, Ben Amelaidh, Mound Rock, Silver Rock and Ben Bhraggie.
"This overlooks the likely site where two companies of local militia attacked into the line of Cromartie’s Regiment moving along Ferry Road on the morning of 15th April 1746, which is believed to be the decisive moment of the battle.
"The wording of the inscription is especially important for the memorial as it commemorates those who fell at Littleferry from both sides. There are many memorials that commemorate one side only; this is different and deliberately so. Both sides at Littleferry suffered, many of those who fought each other had been friends before, had grown alongside each other. It was a time of dreadful division.
"This memorial seeks to heal that, to bind old wounds, to forgive and yet not to forget.
"The cross is a Celtic crucifix and based on a pendant found recently at Culloden battlefield. This style of cross would have thus been familiar to both sides who fought at Littleferry, so it links the two sides together.
"We offer our thanks to Bruce Shelley, Chris Somerville and Paterson Haulage of Inverness who enacted the task just perfectly. Thanks also to any folk who were delayed in their journey along Ferry Road this morning."
Landscaping work at the site will begin over the next few weeks.
The memorial will be dedicated at a ceremony on the afternoon of April 15 2022.
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