Rob Roy/MacGregor

Description

This clan is descended from Celtic Royalty, the Strathclyde/Gododdin Welsh.

This tartan has also been misappropriated as ‘Rob Roy.’ This tartan existed before individual tartans became associated to particular clans perhaps because it is one of the easiest setts to weave. There are those who question MacGregors’ claim to this tartan as there are portraits of monarchs and other Highlanders wearing this sett. How and where this particular sett came into existence is not known. There is a famous painting of Norman Macleod of Macleod wearing it and yet it is very definitely ascribed to Clan Gregor. It is possible that due to its easy weave and striking sett that it was adopted by MacGregors during proscriptions. Whislt the banning of tartan in towns would have been easy, such a policy would have been very difficult to enforce in the wild and remote highlands. Miss Jean Rollo, who lived in Edinburgh in 1746, made it a point to wear a tartan gown in the Canongate in defiance of the law.

Whatever the history, it came to be regarded as MacGregor tartan This tartan has also been misappropriated as ‘Rob Roy.’ Kenneth MacLeay in his book ‘Highlanders of Scotland’ written in 1870 states: The famed Rob Roy, was a cadet of the Glengyle family.

DW Stewart in his book Old and Rare Scottish Tartans says:

“The pattern is accepted by sound authorities as the MacGregor pattern. There are fine examples of it in the collection of tartans made by the Highland Society of London 1816/17 labelled and sealed ‘The MacGregor tartan for undress ordinary clothing. The seal and arms of ‘Sir John MacGregor Murray of MacGregor, Baronet.’ Letters dated 1792 and 1794 were sent with patterns to Wilson of Bannockburn, the great tartan outfitters of the day, for an order.”