Lochaber 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
Lochaber Tartan Origins & History
Explore the history
How it all started
Territories
Lochaber is the name used to describe an area in the Scottish Highlands, Fort William is included in this area.
Clan Chief
The Lochaber tartan is a district tartan and therefore does not have a Clan Chief.
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The Lochaber tartan is a predominantly green and grey tartan with black and red, to represent the surrounding landscape of Ben Nevis. It is thought that this tartan has been around as early as 1797, however the designer is unknown.
MacMillans and Camerons
Early history meant that the Macmillans, though an ancient and numerous clan, were by the 17th century split into branches within different parts of Scotland; most of whom had to become the followers of the more powerful chiefs of the other clans that came to dominate those areas. So the remnants of the Lochaber Macmillans became attached to the Camerons - and are sometimes even considered as a sept of that clan - while the Galloway M'millans were closely associated with the Black Douglases. Even the later chiefs of the clan in Knapdale were obliged to follow the politics of their landlords, the Campbells; which in the Jacobite rebellions of the eighteenth century put them at odds with some of their own kin in Lochaber and Glen Urquhart who were staunch supporters of the Stuarts.Fort William and Lochaber has played some important key parts in the political history of the people of the British Isles. Fort William gets its name from William of Orange, the "British" king who ordered a garrison to be built here for the purpose of controlling the Highland Clans. Not far from Fort William, Glenfinnan is where the second Jacobite Rebellion began with Charles Edward Stuart and the Clan Cameron from Achnacarry, who set out to battle their way to London to claim the crown for the Stuarts.
Loch Abar is gaelic for Lochaber.
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