Battlefield
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was fought on the 13th November 1715, between forces supporting the exiled King James, led by the Earl of Mar, and Government forces of the Hanoverian King George I, led by the Duke of Argyle. Part of the battle site is located on Kippendavie Estate.
The Duke of Argyle was a successful professional soldier whereas Mar was not experienced as a military commander. Whilst there were only just over 3,000 men in Argyle's army, there were over 9,000 under Mar but despite this, the Battle itself, which spread over a large area around Sheriffmuir, ended up as a draw, with the right wing of each army defeating the opposing wing. But at the end of the day, the remaining Government forces were left in possession of the Battlefield and the Jacobite army dispersed having failed to capture Stirling and its castle, which was the primary objective.
The Stirling family were keen supporters of the Jacobites and wanted to see King James restored to the throne. Charles Stirling of Kippendavie, fought in the Battle and his wife provided intelligence to help the Earl of Mar, the Commander of the Jacobite forces, just prior to it.
Today, by following a signposted path from the Clan MacRae memorial through the forest and across open moorland to a small group of trees, you find the Gathering Stone. The stone is said to be where the Jacobite standard was raised at the start of the battle.
The stone was thought to be originally a neolithic standing stone and was marked on the 1766 commons map as the "Karling Stone". However, according to local history the stone was destroyed and broken to pieces in the 19th century after a falling out between locals and workers building the railway in Dunblane.
