Tartan tales at Bannockburn House

Bannockburn House will host a ‘Tales of Tartan’ event at the end of June.

Tartan historian, Peter Macdonald, and dress historian, Rebecca Olds, will speak about tartan from the 16th to 19th centuries.

Chairperson of Bannockburn House Trust Catriona Conroy said this week: “This will be a rare and unique event.

“Peter will be speaking for the first time in detail about the oldest known piece of tartan in Scotland, found in a peat bog in Glen Affric which can be dated to circa 1500-1600.

“The find featured prominently in both national and international news recently as it is an object of great historical significance.

“He will be presenting a paper and further findings on the specimen in his talk.”

Peter will also discuss Wilson & Sons Weavers of Bannockburn who once lived in Bannockburn House.

And Rebecca will speak on the Isabella Mactavish Fraser wedding gown, the only complete surviving traditional tartan women’s gown from the pre-1800 period.

In 2019 she led a team of 18th century dressmakers for the “Isabella Project” as part of the Museums of Scotland exhibit, “Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland”.

She will discuss the project in detail as well as changing attitudes in tartan fashion in the 18th century.

Catriona added: “It seems very fitting to hold such an event here, as once upon a time Bannockburn was a thriving village with tartan mills at its epicentre and its workforce living within close proximity.

“Alexander Wilson, who owned Bannockburn House, also owned these bustling mills and this is a rare opportunity to discover more about this unique era and delve deeper into an industry that is sadly lost within the village today.”

The event takes place on Sunday, June 25 at 2pm.

Seating is limited to 40 and tickets are available online.