Clan Primary Image Turnbull

Scottish Clans

Turnbull Tartans & Clan

This name, like so many others, has a legend to explain its origins. The sixteenth-century historian, Boece, records that a Borders man by the name of Rule, saved Robert the Bruce by ‘turning an angry bull which was set to gore the king’. The king promptly named him Turnbull and rewarded him with lands which were named ‘bedrule’ after their fortunate new owner. Sadly, like so many such stories, the more likely derivation is from the old English ‘trumbald’, meaning strong’or ‘bold’.
Clan Motto I Saved The King (I Saved The King)

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TurnbullTartans

3 variations

Each tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress

About tartan variations

  • Ancient
  • Modern
  • Weathered
  • Hunting
  • Dress

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.

Dress 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.

Clan Origin Primary Image Turnbull

From the start

Turnbull Clan Origins & History

Clan Origin History Image Turnbull

Explore the history

How it all started

Territories

Scottish Borders

Clan Chief

Clan Turnbull is an armigerous clan which means that the clan, family or name is registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon, but does not currently have a chief recognised by the Lyon Court.

What's in the name?

The likely derivation is from the old English ‘trumbald’, meaning strong’or ‘bold’.

Clan Origin Location Image Turnbull 191002 123829

Fatlips Castle

Fatlips Castle was founded and built by the Turnbulls of Barnhill during the 16th Century, although it did not stand for long as it was destroyed by 1545. It was re-built in 1857 after it was bought by Sir Gilbert Elliot, however the state of the castle deteriorated greatly throughout the 1900's due to a lack of use, but was restored again in 2013. It stands proudly atop the Minto Crags in Roxburghshire. The Turnbulls first started using the lands of Fatlips during the 14th Century. We here at ScotlandShop thought Fatlips seemed a strange name for a Castle and unfortunately there is no story to go along with the name, so I guess we will have to keep guessing!

Scottish Borders

This name, like so many others, has a legend to explain its origins. The sixteenth-century historian, Boece, records that a Borders man by the name of Rule, saved Robert the Bruce by ‘turning an angry bull which was set to gore the king’. The king promptly named him Turnbull and rewarded him with lands which were named ‘bedrule’ after their fortunate new owner. Sadly, like so many such stories, the more likely derivation is from the old English ‘trumbald’, meaning strong’or ‘bold’.

Clan Motto: I Saved The King


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