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Culloden Tartans Page
The Battle of Culloden, fought on Drummossie Moor in 1746, stands as a pivotal and tragic moment in Scottish history, marking the bloody end of the Jacobite uprising. Beyond the clash of armies and the political ramifications, the battle has also become inextricably linked with the symbolism of tartan.
Culloden Tartans
4 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.
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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.
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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
Culloden Tartan Origins & History
Explore the history
How it all started
The Jacobite cause stemmed from the 1688 Glorious Revolution. Loyalists, known as Jacobites, sought to restore the Stuart dynasty, driven by dynastic loyalty, religious differences, and political grievances, particularly in Scotland. This movement persisted, leading to several uprisings, culminating in the 1745 Jacobite Rising led by Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. His efforts to reclaim the throne ultimately ended in the decisive and bloody Battle of Culloden in 1746, effectively crushing the Jacobite hopes of a Stuart restoration.
The Battle of Culloden
On April 16, 1746, the Jacobite cause reached its decisive end at the Battle of Culloden. Prince Charles Edward Stuart, despite earlier victories, faced a series of setbacks leading to this final confrontation. The Jacobite army, weakened by a retreat from Derby and internal discord, found themselves facing a larger, better-equipped Hanoverian force under the Duke of Cumberland.
The Jacobites, numbering around 5,000, were positioned on Drummossie Moor, a flat, boggy terrain unfavorable to their traditional Highland charge. A failed night raid on April 15th, intended to surprise the Hanoverian forces during Cumberland's birthday celebrations, resulted in exhaustion and disarray within the Jacobite ranks.
The following day, amidst falling snow and hail, the Jacobites formed their battle lines. The Hanoverian army advanced, unleashing heavy artillery fire. The Jacobite charge, though valiant, was met with devastating firepower, and their lines broke. The battle, lasting less than an hour, resulted in a crushing defeat for the Jacobites, marking the last pitched battle on British soil.
Following the battle, Cumberland's brutal campaign, earning him the nickname "Butcher," targeted remaining Jacobites, leading to trials, executions, and the suppression of Highland culture. Kilts and tartans, once symbols of hope, became emblems of rebellion. The clans mourned their losses, and Prince Charles was forced to flee.
The Impact of the Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden in 1746 marked the definitive end of Jacobite claims to the British throne. While not all Highlanders supported Prince Charles Edward Stuart, a significant portion did, leading to their defeat. The profound significance of tartan and associated Highland dress at this time is underscored by the government's subsequent punitive measures.
The Dress Act
From 1746 to 1782, the Dress Act prohibited the wearing of tartan and other Highland attire, effectively criminalising a core element of their cultural identity. This ban aimed to dismantle Highland clan structures and suppress any future rebellions, illustrating the deep connection between clothing and cultural resistance. The act specifically targeted the wearing of "plaid, kilt, or any dress whatsoever in the mode used in the Highlands," except for those serving in the military, thereby attempting to erase a visible symbol of Highland identity.
Culloden Memorials
The Culloden battlefield is marked by several memorials. The battlefield features a central memorial cairn surrounded by clan markers, each representing the various Highland clans that fought and fell in 1746. Erected in 1881 by landowner Duncan Forbes, these markers aimed to commemorate the individual clans' sacrifices, creating a tangible connection to the human cost of the battle. These Victorian-era markers, however, tell an incomplete story, omitting the contributions of Irish and French regiments who fought alongside the Jacobites. A separate plaque was later installed by the White Cockade Society in 1994, honouring the sacrifices of these often-overlooked soldiers, highlighting the battle's broader European context and the international nature of the Jacobite risings.
The Culloden Tartans
A significant artifact from the Battle of Culloden is a remarkably preserved tartan coat, a testament to the period's craftsmanship and likely belonging to a high-ranking individual, possibly a clan chief. This coat is crucial as it preserves one of the few surviving Jacobite-era tartans, though its interpretation has varied since the late 19th century.
Notably, the vibrant purple and yellow "Culloden tartan" familiar in many collections originated in D.W. Stewart's 1893 publication, "Old and Rare Scottish Tartans." This rendition was likely trying to emulate what the original jacket might have looked like when new. However, colours weren't so bright in the days that the jacket would have been created, given the natural sources of dye rather than the synthetic dyes originating in the mid-1800's which provide the much brighter colour shades used today.
For over three decades, textile expert Peter MacDonald sought the original Culloden coat to accurately determine its true colours and pattern, accounting for fading and wear. His search culminated in 2007 at the Kelvingrove Museum, where he identified an 18th-century coat with a distinct sett. This revealed that the authentic Culloden tartan differed significantly from Stewart's interpretation, featuring muted blues and weathered greens, alongside black bands and a light blue, yellow, red, and white overcheck.
The coat's original owner remains unknown, but its style suggests equestrian wear typical of the mid-18th century. The quality of the fabric and tailoring indicates a person of wealth and status, possibly a Jacobite noble or clan chief. As clan tartans in their modern, recognisable forms largely came after Culloden, the sett and colours cannot be linked to a specific family.
Regardless of the wearer's fate at Culloden, his coat endures as a historical window, illustrating the use of tartan as a unifying uniform among the Jacobite forces.
Blàr Chùil Lodair
