Hi Mairiuna! What a surprise when I read your most recent post A Writing Day For Walter Scott in Company of His Favourite Dogs and noticed on one of your photographs the pattern of his study’s carpet ! It’s the Black & White tartan designed by Sir Walter Scott in 1822. 🙂
Abbotsford -Closer look at Sir Walter Scott's desk -Scotiana 2006
When you think that I visited twice his home in Abbotsford, and yourself maybe three or four times already, and this detail escaped our attention!
Well..well..well..better late than never, right?
The tartan holds a very important place in Scotland’s clan symbols, amidst clan motto and clan’s heraldic icons. It’s basically a unique pattern, called a “sett”, in a structured series of coloured threads and traditionally, each Scottish clan has its own tartan.
We can see some great examples in the video we took of Scottish tartans through ages at the Tartan Weaving Mill & Exhibition, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.
Scottish Clan Tartans Limited Edition Cards
I recently bought on Ebay a boxed set of 25 cards depicting a pictorial history of the clans and their famous chiefs who together formed such an important part of Scotland’s past along with their respective tartans.
Scottish Clan - Map - Glenfiddich Card Set
The cards contained inside this wallet have been faithfully reproduced from part of a set that was first published in 1927.
They provide a fascinating and informative insight into the heritage of Scotland and the main characters who helped shape the course of Scottish history.
It was published by Glenfiddich ( Pure Malt Whisky ) in Limited Edition. Here’s the list of the Scottish Clan Tartans pictured on these cards:
Buchanan
Campbell of Breadalbane
Cameron of Lochiel
Duncan
Farquharson
Ferguson
Gordon
Grant
Kennedy
MacDuff
MacFie
MacIvor
MacGregor
Mackenzie
Macleod
Macmillan
Macneill
Macpherson
MacRae
Matheson
Ogilvie
Ross
Scott
Sinclair
Prince Charles Edward Stewart
Under the swelling folds of the chiefly banner clansmen in kilt and trews, and the daughters of the clan in plaid and arisaid, still gather around their Chief and Ban-tigherna as the parents of the race.
The historic titles of the Scots peerage perpetuate the tribal provinces of the Celtic Kings ( being honours “shared by the whole race and surname” of each) , and thus give a striking “clan-significance” to these Scottish honours.
In the governance of Britain, the King still represents the Ard-Righ -“head of the kindred” viz. the High-Chief, and his Lord Lyon King of Arms of Scotland represents the High-Sennachie; s0 that the ascending bond of kinship, symbolized by “The Tartan” is still an actual and legalised feature of the Realm of Scotland, linking those of Scottish blood, the world over, both with one another and with the arts, the poetry and the romance of Celtic Scotland.
Source: The Scottish Tartans, with the Chiefs’ Arms Histories & Badges of the Clans.W. & A. K. Johnston & G. W. Bacon Lyd, Edinburgh,Scotland. 1959
I will keep my eyes open for the 1927 original card set as I would be delighted to add in our collection.
Talk soon.
Janice
how can i find my plaid online? Im looking for the MacQueen or Queen plaids
Hi Darrin. Thanks for getting in touch. You might want to check out the House of Tartan. They are based in Comrie, Pertshire, Scotland. Here’s the link to their MacQueen products:
http://houseoftartan.co.uk/scottish/dir2.asp?secid=77&subsecid=491&srcdoc=searchclan.asp?searchstring=macqueen . Hope it will prove helpful. Maybe some readers will have other suggestions. 😉 Have a great day.
I enjoy reading and learning about my history my grandfathers name is Frank James Dalgliesh his father came or maybe his grandfather cqame over to Canada from Scotland we are related to the family whho has the tartan shop i think its in Selkirk that’s about all i know havgreat day
My Family is MacKenzie, I am also a seamstress, I would love to see the card on MacKenzie, more clearly.
So cool.
Thanks, Donna
My Family is MacKenzie, I am also a seamstress, I would love to see the MacKenzie card more clearly.
Thanks, Donna.
With great pleasure Donna. Hope that helps! All the best. Janice
Is there a card or picture of the tartan for McClain (or any spelling version)? I was shown 2 separate tartan patterns when I was a young lass, and would love to get a hold of them again. I would like to find the material.
Unfortunately, could not inform you about same. If I do come across, rest assured, I will get back to you. Janice D from Scotiana’s team.
I have a book that has a Maclaine in it though I don’t know how to send a picture of it for shay
Nice! Can you post the Fergusson card please?
Thank you!
Here goes!
I have this whole set still in little case
Could you post the Duncan card please? It’s too small to read.
I don’t see the Chisholm clan up there.
Is there a tartan for Haxton?
Is there a tartin for Cloos?
Have been looking for the Clan Donald tartan to purchase a Throw Blanket with the Original Clan Donald colors, but, can’t seem to find it. Can you provide a clue where I should look?
Looking for clan McConnell and O’Sullivan do you have pics of thoses
I’m looking for a McGarrity tartan please – unsure if Scottish or Irish – any help will be most welcome thank you. Suzanne
Hello! i don’t find the Galloway tartan. Do you have it?
Thanks, Pamela
Very interesting! Please send me an enlarged card on Sinclair. Thank you!
Don’t see Johnson
Why is it that in all of the articles on Scotland, clsns and tartans that I rarely see any5thing about the Morrison clan????
WOW!! Love seeing these!! Looking for anything McDonald, as my GR,GR.Grandfathers are from Urst. Thanks for ANY info, Tartan, etc. you have info on. Our family name is Parks. Again THANK YOU. Gayle
OPPS!! O SORRY TO SEND AGAIN< BUT JUST REALIZED I MADE A BOBO!! SPELLED MACDONALD WRONG!! of course you know it's Macdonald. Geeze my ancesters are in an uproar, (AGAIN).. THANKS..GAYLE
POR FAVOR, PODRÍAS PUBLICAR MAS GRANDE LA TARJETA STEWART?, DESDE YA TE DOY LAS GRACIAS.
My mother was a MacPherson. I’d like to see a closer picture of the card. The Tartan looks different from what I have.
Thank you do much!
My clan is the Gunn clan.Two of my daughters were married to a Buchanan & a McDonald. Where can I obtain a copy of the 3 respective cards for each family.
I’m clan MacGregor. I would love to see Clan MacGregor more clearly.
Please and Thank you.
My Clan is the Scott Clan could you please show more on the Scott tartans and if you can please put up something about the family crests I understand there are several of them. Thank you
Grant and Ferguson are both in my family line so I would love to be able to read the Grant details. I was able to read the Ferguson one above. Thank you.
I’m a transplanted Scottish family that came to America in the 1700s. Our name was changed to CAUGHRON (renounced car-run). The farthest back I can go in genealogy is America’s Civil War because the records were kept at a local church and burned to protect the family from persecution from one side or the other. There were 3 brothers (1 went Confederate, 1 went Union, and the 3rd was too young to fight). That’s as much as I could get from my father. They did all settle in Cocke County Tennessee. I’m very interested in finding out if anyone could help me discover more information on my Scottish relatives and our family tartan. My internet email is
tellencaughron1@gmail.com
Teresa Ellen Caughron
I would love to see the Ross clan card. Thank you.
I don’t see the name McEwan, Scottish Surname