Lets take a closer look at the events that unfolded that made the national dress of Scotland illegal. Join us in Celebrating 200 Years of tartan becoming legal!

Some of Lochcarron's hand woven tartan

Our Royal Stewart Modern weaving at our mill in Selkirk, Scotland. - Stewart Royal Modern Lightweight Tartan Fabric | Lochcarron of Scotland

Tartan is a symbol of Scottish Heritage and historians believe that tartan originated in the Highlands of Scotland in the 1600’s. People in clans used natural resources to dye the wool including plants and berries. With this, different types of tartan would represent a clan from each geographic area depending on the resources they had surrounding them.

Surprisingly, there is a period in history where tartan disappeared. It all began with political unrest when the House of Hanover overthrew the throne of the House of Stuarts (Scottish Royal Dynasty).

After that, in an act of rebellion, Jacobitism formed.- Jacobite meaning 'Supporter of James.' The Jacobite Rising was a political movement that attempted to restore the House of Stuart to the throne.

How King George IV's Visit to Edinburgh Helped Tartan Becoming Legal

The 15th of August 1822 welcomed King George IV to Edinburgh. Arriving along The Shore of Leith, a red carpet strewn with flowers to greet the waiting crowds greeted him.

The Dress Act 1746 meant that kilts and tartans were not regular highland wear. Tartan cloth could only be worn as part of army uniform. Landowners’ clubs promoting the general use of the ancient Highland dress could wear tartan after The Act's repeal in 1782. The Celtic Society of Scotland promoted interest in the history, traditions, language, and the arts of the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland. In addition to this, Sir Walter Scott was chairman of this club. The interest of this club allowed them to wear ‘the garb of old Gaul” to attend meetings and dances.

During this visit, all gentlemen of the city were to attend public appearances in a uniform.-  a uniform blue coat, white waistcoat and white or nankeen cotton trousers, and a low-crowned dark hat decorated with a white St. Andrew's saltire on a blue background.

For the Grand Ball, the King set the condition that "no gentleman is to be allowed to appear in anything but the ancient Highland costume.” Crowds of gentlemen embarked on a search for a tartan kilt for the ball. This event was pivotal for Highland dress becoming the national dress of Scotland.

On this occasion, August 15th 2022 marks 200 years since tartan became legal in the capital city of Edinburgh!

Sir Walter Scott's Role in Tartan Becoming Legal

Prior to the visit, George invited Sir Walter Scott to dinner in 1815. The invite arose after Scott had written a novel, which popularised a romantic image of the Scottish Highlands.

Scott was well acquainted with George, and Highland and Lowland nobility at this time.  He seized the opportunity to invent a pageant where ancient Scotland would be reborn and repaint the image of the King.

Sir Walter Scott spoke to the King not only a House of Stuart Prince, but also a Jacobite Highlander. This meant that King George IV could swathe himself in traditional Highland dress. Hoping to win the hearts of the Scots, the King was seen by bloodline as much a Stuart as Bonnie Prince Charlie had been.

Born in Edinburgh, Scott was firstly a lawyer before venturing into the world of the arts and poetry. Inspired by the life and history of Scotland, warmth and compassion were always seen in his work.

Read more about Sir Walter Scott and his connection to The Scottish Borders here: -Discover Abbotsford House - Lochcarron of Scotland - Blog

Abbotsford House, home of Sir Walter Scott, just 5 miles from Lochcarron's authentic tartan weaving mill.

Abbotsford House, the extraordinary home of Sir Walter Scott, just 5 miles from our authentic weaving mill. - Abbotsford - The Home of Sir Walter Scott (scottsabbotsford.com)

The House of Hanover

The Stuart monarchy ended with the death of Queen Anne in 1714. The British crown passed over to George of Hanover. George was only 52nd in line to the throne, but was the closest living Protestant relative of Anne’s. Under the Act of Settlement passed in 1701, he became the first Hanoverian monarch to come into power.

The Hanoverian period seen Britain acquire a lot of their overseas empire.

Queen Victoria was the last British monarch provided by the House of Hanover. Upon her death in 1901, Edward VII became the first British Monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

In June 1917, King George V ordered the British royal family to stop using German sounding names and titles. Changing the surname of his own family, to Windsor as we know the Royal family as today. Amongst these was the House of Battenberg, which became the notable Mountbatten family.

The Jacobite Rising

In the light of the House of Hanover coming into power, Charles Edward Stuart attempted to regain the British Throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart.

The Jacobite Rising took place in 1745 and lasted 7 months. In this time, Scots agreed to invade England after Charles assured them of support from English and French Jacobites. Soon outnumbered, The Jacobite Army threatened to turn back.

The Battle of Culloden Leading to The Dress Act

An Incident in the Rebellion of 1745 - Oil on Canvas - David Morier. - An Incident in the Scotch Rebellion 1745. A battle scene between Jacobite and Government troops | National Galleries of Scotland

Arguably the most significant events in Scottish history. Culloden saw Scotland lose to England in the last battle fought on British soil. This marked the end of the Jacobite uprising.

Afterward, to suppress the Jacobite Rebellion, The Dress Act 1746 made wearing all Highland dress illegal all across Scotland. This included all tartan and the kilt!

Defying the ban once sentenced you to 6 months imprisonment. A second time had you transported to any of His Majesty’s plantations beyond the sea for seven years.

Tartan was interchangeable with the Scottish clan system in the Highlands. Banning the cloth was hoped to create more peace for the region. Although during the ban, it became fashionable for the Scottish romantics to wear kilts as a form of protest.

Tartan has come to symbolise the cultural identity of the whole Scottish nation!

Whether you have Scottish links or not, you can take part in an age-old Scottish traditional and sport our national dress and tartan cloth and celebrate tartan becoming legal with us throughout August.

Shop our range of classic tartans and couture designer fabrics by the metre. We have something here to meet your needs, whether it is crafting, interior or upholstery. - The Cloth Shop | Fabric & Cloth | Made by Lochcarron, or explore our collection of fine Scottish garments and accessories.- Apparel Accessories | Clothing | Made in Scotland (lochcarron.co.uk).