Scourie

   SCOURIE, a village, in the parish of Eddrachillis, county of Sutherland, 2 miles (N. N. W.) from the village of Eddrachillis; containing 108 inhabitants. This place is situated on the western coast of the county, and on a safe and commodious bay, to which it gives name; it has a good inn and a post-office, and contains the parochial school, and a savings' bank. The road from the Dornoch Frith, through Sutherland, terminates here. About the middle of the 16th century, a branch of the Mackay family planted themselves at Scourie, under the designation of the "Mackays of Scourie." Of this branch was Lieutenant-general Hugh Mackay, the celebrated commander-in-chief in the time of William and Mary; he fought against Dundee at the battle of Killiecrankie, and although the fortunes of the day proved adverse, he showed great military skill in his retreat, and retrieved his military reputation by his subsequent successes in Ireland. He was to have been rewarded with a peerage, under the title of Earl of Scourie, but this intention was frustrated by the alleged intrigue of his rival, Mackenzie of Cromarty. This distinguished soldier closed his career in 1692, shortly after the siege of Namur, where he commanded the British division of the allied army.