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General Patrick Sinclair is buried as he wished near to his house.  The grave is some distance from the back of Lybster House where he lived.  The grave is not accessible from the Main Street but from the A99 about 150 metres to the east of the 40 mph speed limit on the Wick side of the village. At this part of the coast the main road runs due east- west!

In 1936 a gravestone was erected by his great-grandson David A Laing and his grand -daughter Isabel when she was 100 years old.  Previously the grave had been marked by a cairn.

The inscription on the stone reads  -
Sacred to the memory of Patrick Sinclair V of Lybster, Lieut-General.  Born 1736.  Died 1820.
While in the Black Watch he saw active service in the West Indies and was at Gaudeloupe; then went to North America with General Amherst.  He was in command of the Great Lakes, and later Lt Governor of the Fort of Machilimackinac.  He was buried here on his own property at his express wish.
Also to his wife Catherine Stewart.
And to his sons -
Temple Frederick, Capt 44th Foot
Jeffery, Surgeon-General Bombay Army
Thomas Aubrey, Stipenary Magistrate of Granada
Patrick
Susan, wife of David Laing
Also to David Patrick Laing, Lieut, Royal Irish.  Born 24th December 1890.  Missing at La Bassee 20th October, 1914.  This stone is erected by his grand-daughter Isabel in her 100th year; and by his great-grandson David A Laing.

The Sinclairs of Lybster have long roots running back to the Sinclair earls who ruled Caithness that was once a much larger area taking in much of Sutherland. Tracing further back the family has connections to the Norwegian earls who controlled the north of Scotland for centuries.

Grave Photo Gallery