Tartan Collection

From Roman writers, we know the ancient Celts wove excellent woollen cloth in beautiful colours, and this legacy has been passed to succeeding generations. The Gaelic word for tartan is “breacon” which means “chequered” and the first tartans were simple checks of two or three colours. The original dyes were obtained from native plants and the old tartans were, therefore, woven in soft colours of quiet beauty.

Reference to the Royal use of tartan is made in documents dated 1471 when cloth was ordered for King James 111 and his Queen, and in 1662 King Charles 11 wore tartan ribbons on his coat at his marriage. Clan tartans can be traced back to c1587, and so precise was the weaving that not only was a man’s clan known, but from slight differences in the weave, the very district he came from could be identified.

After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, an Act of Parliament made the wearing of the tartan and Highland dress a penal offence, but this was repealed in 1785. It took until 1822, however, for tartan to make a revival and today there is a new generation of Scots who are rediscovering their roots and, once again, “the belonging” is becoming important to those at home and abroad.

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645XST Small Tartan Candlestick Holder £26.00	645S-T Medium Tartan Candlestick Holder £33.00	615T Small Tartan Frame £28.00
616T Medium Tartan Frame £35.00	617T Large Tartan Frame £43.00	854T 3oz tartan pocket flask £26.00
844T 4oz tartan pocket flask £32.00	A901T 3/4 pint Tartan tankard £32.00	A999TAR Tartan Tankard £24.00