[4] The evidence is also ample that the Rosses managed to secure some of these lands lying in the parishes of Edderton and Kincardine in Ross-shire.

"And William said:"Forty Mackays are dead or wounded, what remainsAre cornered safely in the Tarbat ChurchAnd father guards the door with his broad axe.

Archaeologists have been investigating the Tarbat Old Church at Portmahomack for evidence of a major monastery largely destroyed around 800AD.

[10] Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet's 17th century manuscript, A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland, which was written in about 1630, states: This Angus Macky, heir mentioned, wes afterward killed and burnt in the church of Tarbet, by the surname of Rosse, whom he had often molested with incursions and invasions.

It states that the conflict at Tarbat took place in 1438 and gives the following details: This Anguis Macky, not content with what outrages he had formerly committed, and the slaughter at Cha blair Tannie, but resolves from thence to invade Rosse er he returned home, and, marching through Sutherland, crost at Port in Culternach, or the Meikle Ferry, with a company of rather desperat than resolut men, and, notwithstanding of the threates and interdictions of the monks of Fern (terrible enugh in these dayes to deterr any, nay the most barbarous, from outrages) he runss over the whole country, purposeing to make a prey of all in a peaceable time; but he was briskly mett with by the Rosses, who, killing all his men, persued himselfe to the church of Tarbit, takeing sanctury in the temple, quher they killed and burnt him.

This raid culminated in the Battle of Aldy Charrish at the head of the Kyle of Sutherland which saw Alexander Ross of Balnagowan and many of his kinsmen slaughtered.