District
Arbroath Tartans Page
Arbroath Smokie tartan is a District tartan, although it is actually dedicated to the famous dish. The town of Arbroath is situated on the East Coast of Scotland and is well-known for it's long sandy beaches and eye-catching sandstone cliffs.
Arbroath Tartans
0 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
- 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.
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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.
From the Start
Arbroath Tartan Origins & History
Explore the history
How it all started
Scotland is home to many lovely seaside towns and few demonstrate the coastal beauty more than Arbroath. This small town in Angus has a speciality and if seafood is your passion, then you must try the Arbroath Smokie, which is a delicious haddock recipe dating back to the late 19th century. Be careful though, in order for an Arbroath smokie to adhere to the name, it must be smoked within 5 miles of the town! There are two stories around the origin of the Smokie, the more believable one is that the process was a traditional method passed from generation to generation by villagers with Scandinavian roots, but the one we much prefer is the story that a few miles from Arbroath, lies the fishing village of Auchmithie, and one night there was a fire in one of the fish stores. Barrels of haddock preserved in salt were destroyed but a few remained and locals tried eating the fish that had been cooked inside and discovered the delicacy. Legend or truth it's a great story!
An Overview
Arbroath Smokie tartan is a specially designed tartan dedicated to this delicious smoked seafood. The tartan celebrates the European protective geographical status, which was awarded to the product. By gaining the status, this means that the Arbroath Smokie remains protected as a regional product! The prominent colour red within the tartan symbolises the sandstone of Arbroath Abbey, where the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. The beautiful blue and white patterns throughout the tartan outline the Scottish sea upon which Arbroath proudly stands, whereas the golden yellow represents the delicacy of the fish itself. The town of Arbroath is situated on the East Coast of Scotland and is well-known for it's long sandy beaches and eye-catching sandstone cliffs.
The Declaration of Arbroath
The coastal town is notable for the Declaration of Arbroath, one of Scotland's most important artefacts in their history. The declaration was a letter written by the noble men and women of the kingdom of Scotland, asking the Pope to recognise Scotland's independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country's lawful king. Did you know that 2020 marked the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath?
Amazing Arbroath Sights
Arbroath is a famous Scottish seaside town with many tourists visiting each year, and for good reason too! You can delve deep into the history of the town with a trip to Arbroath Abbey, founded in 1178 by William the Lion. If you're into your stunning seaside walks, you can explore East Haven Beach and take in the breath-taking views of the Scottish coastline. For the creative bunch, Hospitalfield House is an arts centre and historic house based on the outskirts of the town and has even been regarded as "one of the finest country houses in Scotland".
The older form of Arbroath was actually Aberbrothock, known in Gaelic as Obar Bhrothaig.
