Scottish Clans
Erskine Tartans & Clan
In the early 13th century, during the reign of Alexander II, the first man to take the name as his own was Henry of Erskine, owner of the Barony of Erskine. The family were supporters of Robert the Bruce, and were related to him through the marriage of John of Erskine’s eldest daughter to Thomas Bruce, King Robert’s brother. Success for Bruce brought rewards for Erskine.
Who Wears Erskine Tartan? - Associated Names
First of all to explain why there are so many tartans, way over 2000 in fact. There are an awful lot of Scottish clans to start with and on top of this each clan can have many different tartans and names associated with it.
- Erksin
Associated Regiments
Over the last 300 years, tartans have been a part of official dress for some of the most famous regiments throughout the military world! Their respective regimental tartans became undisputedly tied to the very core identity of the soldiers who wear it. Explore the associated regiments below:
- King's Own Scottish Borderers (TA)
- Royal Scots Fusiliers
- Royal Scots Fusiliers (Pipers)
Erskine Tartans
2 variationsEach tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
- Ancient
- Modern
- Weathered
- Hunting
- One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
Helpful Advice
Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Modern Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Helpful Advice
The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Weathered Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
Helpful Advice
Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
Hunting Tartan
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if Tartan
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
From the start
Erskine Clan Origins & History
Explore the history of Clan Erskine
How it all started
Territories
Erskine, south of the River Clyde, ten miles west of Glasgow
Clan Chief
The current chief is James Thorne Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie
Where does the name Erskine come from?
The Erskine name is believed to be ancient British for “green rising ground”
Alloa Tower
Dating back to the 14th century this traditional medieval Scottish keep in Clackmannanshire was the ancestral seat of the Erskine family, the Earls of Mar and Kellie. Loyal supporters of the Stuart monarchs, Mary Queen of Scots and her son, James VI, were both looked after here by the Erkine family during their childhood. The tower was cleverly positioned to protect the ferry crossing on the River Forth. In 1702 John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, began the conversion to a luxurious mansion within the ancient walls, however a fire destroyed the mansion in 1800 leaving oly the tower. Today the Tower is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and you can view a collection of Erskine family portraits within it.
Sir Robert de Erskine was an illustrious and renowned figure in his day. He was appointed constable and keeper of the royal Castle of Stirling and in 1350 he was appointed Lord Great Chamberlain of Scotland.
Clan Motto: Je Pense Plus (I think more).
