Battle of Summerdale

After Orkney became part of the Kingdom of Scotland, men from the mainland began to interfere in a crude and ruthless fashion. Things were only ever going to end badly and the Sinclairs were right in the thick of it. The family were split between those based in Caithness, loyal to the King and those in Orkney, loyal to each other.

Eventually, it all came to a head with a large group of Orcadians refusing to pay their taxes and choosing to follow James Sinclair, born and bred in Orkney over the rightful Lord William Sinclair. They stormed the castle in Kirkwall, chasing William across the Pentland Firth to Caithness where he begged for help.

In 1529, an army of 500 men led by the Earl of Caithness sailed to Orkney to put down the rebellion. Shortly after landing, they came across a witch who agreed to give some insight into what lay in store for them. Unravelling two balls of wool, one blue and one red, she let them roll out in front of them. When the red ran out first, the witch declared that whichever side had their blood spilt first would lose the approaching battle.

The Earl had great respect for the supernatural and vowed to kill the first Orcadian they came across. Spotting a teenage boy tending some cattle, the troops rushed to execute him and secure the prophecy. Unfortunately for the Earl, after the murder, one of his men recognised the victim as a Caithness boy who had recently taken refuge in Orkney.

It was a terrible omen and when the Earl’s force finally clashed with the rebels at Summerdale, the witch’s words rang in every man’s ears. The Orcadians annihilated the invaders and killed the Earl, while only a single rebel lost their life and that was after the battle. He had looted one of the richly dressed Caithness men, but when he arrived home his mother thought they were being robbed. She struck him on the head with a rock in a stocking, killing him instantly.

A tragic end to the last battle ever fought on Orcadian soil.