Drummond vs. Murray

This dispute started when the Murray’s of Octertyre, in 1490 were sent by the Abbot of Inchaffray to collect rents or debts from the Drummond family.  The collection of the debt was not welcome by the Drummond’s so the Murray’s ended up forcibly collecting the debt in the form of the Drummond’s cattle.  In retaliation, the Drummond Clan chief sent his son David, with some troops to attack the Murray’s and attempt to evict them off their land.  The Murray’s received word that the Drummond’s were on their way and prepared for the attack.  The Murray’s were winning the battle until members of the McRobbie Clan arrived and helped the Drummond’s overtake them.  The Murray’s retreated and made their final stand at Knock Mary, they were defeated and many of their men died as they fled the battlefield.

The Drummond’s declared victory and were heading home.  They stopped at the Castle of Duncan Campbell of Dunstaffnage to spend the night and celebrate, however  Duncan Campbell had just had his father-in-law and two sons murdered by members of the Murray Clan and wanted revenge.  Duncan convinced the Drummond’s to go after the Murray’s with him and his troops to gather up the remaining members of that Clan.

When the Murray’s found out that the Campbell‘s and Drummond’s were on their way they decided to take refuge in a church in Monzievaird.  It is believed that up to 120 men, women and children of the Murray clan were hiding in the church. Upon finding them hiding  the Campbell’s and Drummond’s decided to leave them alone and return home.  Unfortunately, a Murray Clan member, took it upon himself to shoot and arrow from the church killing one of Duncan Campbell’s men.  The Drummond’s and the Campbell’s retaliated by setting the church on fire, most of the Murray’s were either killed inside the church or trying to escape.

According to legend there was one survivor of the church massacre, a young Murray boy jumped from the church window and was recognized by his cousin Thomas Drummond.  Thomas took pity on his cousin and snuck him away from the burning church.  Upon learning of Thomas’s act the clan banished Thomas to Ireland.  Several years later Thomas returned to Scotland once the Murray’s had regained power.  The grateful Murray Clan granted Thomas an estate in Perthshire which became known as Drummond of Ireland or Drummonderinoch.

After the Massacre James IV of Scotland decided that Clan feuds were threatening the stability of Scotland and decided to make and example of the people responsible.  David Drummond denied that the Drummond’s were involved in the massacre, but King James ordered the arrest of David Drummond along with Duncan Campbell.  Both men along with some of their clans leadership were executed in Stirling by hanging. There was little empathy among the Scottish for these two leaders, although feuding and murdering were considered common during those times a Massacre was considered to be horrific.