Tartans & Flags 
    Tartans and Scottish flags have an interesting history. The St. Andrews flag is perhaps the oldest national flag, first being used in the 9th Century. 
   The Montreat Scottish Society has a collection of more than 120 tartan banners representing clans that have been donated to the society for use in various events, including the annual Kirkin' o' the Tartans. A complete list of tartan banners and their donors is available by clicking here. (available in late November)
   We are working on pages which will display information on clans and their tartan(s). This function will be available in 2005.

Montreat Scottish Society Tartan
   A few years ago, the Montreat Scottish Society worked with tartan designers and manufacturers to develop our own tartan, which is pictured on the left of each page in this web site. 

Tartan History
   The Scoti, who settled Western Scotland during the 5th & 6th centuries are said to have used striped garments to signify rank. The basis of the pattern, dress style and word may date back to the time when the Scots introduced their Gaelic culture into what was to become Scotland. If early tartan, like the Gaelic language, were used across Scotland in the 10th century, by the 13th century tartans would have been confined to the Highlands. 
   In 1538, there is a reference to 'Heland Tartan'. A Frenchman at the siege of Haddington in 1537 describes Highlanders as wearing what appears to be tartans. From 1581, there is a description of 'variegated garments, especially stripes, and their favourite colours are purple and blue.' Poet John Taylor clearly describes the woolen tartan garments of Highlanders at Braemar in 1618. A doctor on Skye around 1700, Dr. Martin gives the first descriptions of tartan which imply their significance as regional and the importance to weavers ensuring that their cloth always has precise local patterns. Martin states that it is possible to tell from a man's plaid where he lived. 
   The battle of Culloden in 1746 saw the end of Jacobite claims to the throne. Many Highlanders, but by no means all, had backed the losing side of Prince Charles Edward Stuart. The great importance of tartan to Highland Culture led the government banned it from 1746-82. This proscription however applied only to common Highland men - not the upper echelons of Highland society, not to Lowland Scots and not to women. But most importantly, it did not apply to the Highland regiments that were being formed in the Government army.
   The new regiments were mainly associated with specific clans, containing the men of that clan and often led by the chief or a senior member of his family. The first regiments used the 'Government Tartan', the Black Watch, but others quickly adopted distinctive new patterns. 
   After the dress codes were repealed, a burgeoning interest lead to a 'new tartan' industry, led by the Lowland company of William Wilson. He meet the growing demand for Tartan by inventing new patterns. He supplied the Army and the flourishing demand for cloth in the Lowlands. All his patterns were initially simply given numbers but some quickly became popular in certain areas and became known by that region's name - thus were born the regional tartans. Others were commissioned for a specific person and soon the surname of that person became the name of the Tartan!
   New patterns appeared each year for Wilson's salesmen to market. There is no evidence that Wilson's tartans had anything whatsoever to do with any ancient regional or pre-1746 patterns. The tartans worn at the Battles of Sheriffmuir or Culloden have almost all been lost forever. 
   In 1816, an attempt was made to match clan to 'true' tartan. Tartans were gathered but these had more to do with regimental uniforms and Wilson's successful marketing than any older patterns. But the idea that a specific tartan paired with a clan had become firmly established.
   By the early 19th century, authors such as James Logan, the Sobieski-Stuarts, and Sir Walter Scott had popularized the notion that certain tartans belonged to specific clans since ancient times. At this time, almost half the British army was Highlanders and the worldwide success of these regiments was legend. 
   In 1822, George IV visited Edinburgh. He wanted to see Scots in their tartans. Tartan and highland dress was the order of that day, thanks to Sir Walter Scott's personal planning. The tartan was seen as Scottish symbol,  rather than just a Highland custom.