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Tartan setts, eg Hunting, Dance

by Dr Nick Fiddes

Any clan or family can have a number of tartans with different Setts (or patterns. Sometimes associated with different occasions (though there is no rule limiting their wear to these occasions).

A tartan’s ‘Sett’ is what makes it unique. This is the ‘thread count’ that defines it - the sequence and number of coloured threads which produces that tartan’s distinct look when woven in criss-crossing vertical and horizontal stripes. Legally, each different sett is a different tartan. (A sett can then be woven in different 'colours', and in different materials, but if it follows the same pattern it is considered the same tartan).

In most cases there is no need to worry about which sett is correct to wear. Just choose the one that you feel drawn to, for whatever reason.

Special occasion tartan setts

For example, many clans have a ‘Hunting‘ tartan and a ‘Dress‘ tartan in addition to their general clan tartan. The most common tartan setts in addition to the standard clan or family tartan are:

  • Hunting Tartans: Hunting tartans were traditionally used by Scottish clans when participating in hunting and other outdoor activities. These tartans are usually made from darker colors, which were better suited to blending into the surrounding landscape.
  • Dress Tartans: Dress tartans are typically the most well-known and recognizable type of tartan. They are designed to be used for formal occasions and special events, and often feature bright, bold colors.
  • Mourning Tartans: Mourning tartans were traditionally worn by members of a clan to show respect for a departed loved one. These tartans usually feature muted colors and somber designs.

But even within these groupings, a clan or family can have multiple designs associated with it, for one reason or another. Sometimes this is because the head of the clan or family simply wanted a change. Sometimes it's simply down to haphazard weaving combined with over-zealous archivists determined to record every sample of tartan they ever came across. The good news is this isn't something you need to worrry about. Just pick the one you like.

For example, for the Stewart clan or family name, there are all these special occasion variants that have been recorded at one time or another. It's not unusual that for these to record the existence of just a single sample that an enthusiastic archivist felt it important to record.

  • Stewart Hunting
  • Stewart Hunting (1819 variant)
  • Stewart Dress
  • Stewart Dress Blue
  • Stewart Blue (Dress)
  • Stewart Dress Grey
  • Stewart Dress; 4 red lines
  • Stewart Dress; Blue Lines
  • Stewart Dress; Heather
  • Stewart Stewart Dress; Purple
  • Stewart Mourning Originaux
  • Stewart Mourning Originaux #2

You may wonder, for example, why there is both a 'Stewart Dress Blue tartan' and a 'Stewart Blue (Dress) tartan'. All we can say is... we wonder this too! Until the Scottish Register of Tartans came along, most recording was somewhat haphazard and subject to the whims of individual archivists using few consistent rules to guide them.

Dance tartans

Dance tartans are really a category of their own, as they are not usually associated with any clan or family at all. Dance tartans are designed specifically for use in Scottish dance, and simply given evocative names. They are often lighter in weight than other types of tartans, and feature brighter, more eye-catching colors, to help the dancers stand out on the dance floor.

Archival variant setts

Even for a tartan as famous as Royal Stewart (or Stewart Royal - it's the same thing) there are all kinds of variants that have been produced over the years for one reason or another. Sometimes archivists have listed these by the date of their creation or recording (eg 1819 variant); sometimes by their colouring peculiarities (eg Black & White); and sometimes they are simply numbered sequentially (eg #2). If you see none of these, that's probably the standard or most common version.

  • Stewart Royal
  • Stewart Royal (1819 variant)
  • Stewart Royal (Black & White & Grey)
  • Stewart Royal (Black & White)
  • Stewart Royal (Vestiarium Scoticum)
  • Stewart Royal #2
  • Stewart Royal #3

With many such woven variants, the person recording a non-standard design may describe it in terms of the distinct colours or sett size that distinguishes their sample from the norm. For Stewart, examples like this include: 

  • Stewart #2
  • Stewart Black
  • Blue #2
  • Stewart Stewart Camel
  • Stewart Navy Blue
  • Stewart Old
  • Stewart Pink
  • Stewart Plaid
  • Stewart Purple
  • Stewart Small Sett Black

In other cases, a name will simply reference the fact that our beloved archivist stumbled across a single piece of fabric that had been woven slightly differently. These are sometimes allotted names such as

  • Stewart Artifact
  • Stewart Fragment

If you've read this far, you're maybe noticing a theme. Much of the variety of tartan names in the archives really describes failrly minor variations identified by amateur archivists who, let's say, took their task very seriously. Sometimes they attributed designs also to the Royal personage in whose portrait or garment collection they discoverd some other tweak to a standard pattern For the 'Stewart' tartan, for example, such variations include:

  • Stewart, King George VI
  • Stewart, Prince Charles Edward
  • Stewart, Victoria
  • Stewart, Regency

Vestiarium Scoticum

The sharp-eyed reader will have noticed one anomoly in the list above. Vestiarium Scoticum is a controversial book published in 1842 that claimed to be a collection of ancient Scottish tartan designs. The book was supposedly based on a manuscript from the 18th century, which was said to be a record of the tartans worn by Scottish clans since ancient times.

The authors of the book, John Sobieski Stuart and his brother Charles Edward Stuart, claimed to be descendants of the Scottish royal family and presented themselves as experts in Scottish history and culture. However, the authenticity of the book has been widely disputed, and many scholars believe that the tartan designs in the Vestiarium Scoticum are not based on any historical evidence.

Despite the controversy surrounding its authenticity, the Vestiarium Scoticum had a significant impact on the development of Scottish tartan culture. The book introduced many new tartan designs and claimed to establish a system of tartan naming based on colors and patterns. However, this naming system was not based on any historical precedent and is not widely recognized by tartan experts today.

In summary, the Vestiarium Scoticum is a book that claimed to be a collection of ancient Scottish tartan designs, but its authenticity is disputed. Its impact on Scottish tartan culture has been significant but controversial.

Wilsons of Bannockburn

Probably more authentic is another name you may see pop up in tartan names: Wilsons of Bannockburn. Wilsons of Bannockburn was a Scottish tartan weaving company that was founded in 1743 in the town of Bannockburn, near Stirling. The company became famous for its high-quality tartan fabrics and its association with the Scottish military.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Wilsons of Bannockburn supplied tartan fabric to the British military, including the Highland regiments. The company's tartan designs were also popular with Scottish clans and families, who would commission Wilsons to create custom tartans for their kilts and other traditional clothing.

In addition to its weaving business, Wilsons of Bannockburn also had a significant impact on the development of Scottish tartan culture. The company's pattern books, which contained samples of its tartan designs, were widely circulated and influenced the development of new tartan designs.

Today, Wilsons of Bannockburn is no longer in operation, but its legacy continues through its contributions to Scottish tartan culture and the many tartan designs that bear its name.

Conclusion

The general point of this article is to caution you to take none of the above too seriously. Tartans are not a religion. They're a pattern, with a beloved history, but one that countless mortals have dabbled in over the centuries and sometimes just used a bit of creative license or simply got it wrong. All these designs are valid in their own ways. Do you own research if you like. Or far more simply, just pick a pattern you'll know you love.



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