Murray of Aberscross

[11] Richard's successors were men of distinguished valour and in high repute among their contemporaries for their war-like virtues.

[17] According to historian D. M Rose, the 7th and 8th Earls of Sutherland did little to advance their family's reputation, leaving their kinsman the Murays of Culbin, Pulrossie and Aberscross to fight their battles.

[26][2] Historian Robert Mackay states that: "The year 1518 Adam (Gordon) Earl of Sutherland gave unto John Murray of Aberscors (Shiberscross), for his two sons Hugh and Thomas, the ward and marriage of Janet Clyne, and of her sister Elizabeth, the daughters and heirs of William Clyne of Clyne: all which and more did John Murray and his children deserve at Earl Adam his hands for their good service in defence of his earldom and country".

Caithness made Duffus's brother, William Sutherland of Evelick, attack the Murrays of Aberscoss in vengeance, taking prisoner John Croy-Murray.

Hugh Murray of Aberscross then assembled his friends and made incursions upon the lands of Evelick as well as laying waste to several villages belonging to the Laird of Duffus and taking hostage a Sutherland gentlemen to secure the safety of John Croy-Murray.

The Sutherland Laird of Duffus then gathered all of his kinsmen at Skibo Castle and proceeded to the town of Dornoch with the intention of burning it.

[31] George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness later imprisoned his son, the Master of Caithnes, for making peace with the Murrays.

[33] In 1586, Hugh Murray of Aberscross held command in the coalition that defeated the Clan Gunn at the Battle of Leckmelm.

[34] A list from 1587 of clans who had a captain, chief or chieftains on which they depended but at times against the will of their land-lords includes the "Murrayis, in Suthirland".

[36] In 1590, John Murray of Aberscross was killed leading the Clan Sutherland against the Earl of Caithness at the Battle of Clynetradwell.

According to Gordon, the estate of Aberscross ("Abiscors") became so overburdened with debt that it would never again be redeemed by the true and lawful heirs.

[3][2] Aberscross Castle was held by the de Moravia (Murray) family from when they first moved to Sutherland at the end of the twelfth century.

Murray of Aberscross shown to the north on the clan map of Scotland
Connection of the Murray of Culbin , Pulrossie and Aberscross families. The Culbin lineage is sourced from Sinclair Ross's The Culbin Sands - Fact and Fiction . The Pulrossie and Aberscross descent is in accordance with Sir Robert Gordon's Genealogical Tables , folios 23 and 24, which also show many siblings for each generation. The Murray of Culbin coat of arms is taken from George Harvey Johnston's The Heraldry of the Murrays (1910) which in turn is sourced from Sir Robert Forman's MS of the Lyon Office dated c. 1566