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Tartan Footprint helps you connect and share with Scottish people in your life.
Posted on July 17, 2013 by | 111 views | 3 comments
Flodden was fought just after Henry VIII came to the throne, a long time before he became the chubby, wife murdering tyrant so loved by novelists. It's a battle that people tend to know very little about, but it's a battle that changed - well world history. In 1513 Henry was suprisingly - young, h...
Posted on May 12, 2013 by | 22 views | 2 comments
The stories that I have about him came from my mother, Mary MacLeod who, along with some others we are acquainted with, went to the same primary school in Skye as Iain Dubh, albeit at a later date. Although he came from a God-fearing people, Iain, due to his exploits, became known as “The Wizard of...
Posted on August 29, 2013 by | 102 views | comments
This is taken from The Court of Lord Lyon's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LyonCourt "The Royal Standard of Scotland, (Scottish Gaelic: Bratach rìoghail na h-Alba, Scots: Royal banner o Scotland), also known as the Banner of the King of Scots, or more commonly the Lion Rampant of Scotland...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 20 views | comments
A long drive through beautiful countryside from the small highland village of Ardgay leads down to a small church. Croick church is a pretty building not unlike many other Scottish churches, built from a design by the engineer Thomas Telford. There is little to set it apart, these white hurled wal...
Posted on February 12, 2013 by | 19 views | comments
Donald Duff was born in Edinburgh in 1893. He graduated from Edinburgh University as a doctor in 1916 and within weeks was working as a surgeon in a field hospital at the Somme. Later as a captain in the R.A.M.C. he was awarded the Military Cross. He was appointed Surgeon Superindendant at the Belfo...
Posted on March 7, 2013 by | 83 views | 1 comments
  tartan-footprint.pdf (2MB) We have put together a presentation about Tartan Footprint, it says a bit about our vision, the aim is that this will help promote Tartan Footprint to the wider Scottish communities.  Please ask me if you need it in a higher resolution.
Posted on February 6, 2013 by | 1 views | comments
The son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Lord Darnley became King of Scotland upon his mother’s forced abdication in 1567. He was thirteen months old at his coronation and brought up by extremely manipulative individuals. He successfully stopped the draw of power away from his position by the Calvini...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by | 9 views | 1 comments
Living around the same time as the legendary Nostradamus was a farm labourer called Coinneach Odhar. His prophesies are maybe not as well known as his contemporary but the alarming accuracy of his predictions has added to the sense of mystery that still exists around the Black Isle. Indeed many of...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by | 27 views | 4 comments
The thistle of Scotland is said to be the oldest national flower on record, the legend of how this proud and regal plant became a national emblem goes back many hundreds of years, to the time when Scotland was being rampaged by the vicious Vikings. From 795 Scotland was under assault by wave upon...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 13 views | 1 comments
Almost every Scottish loch has a monster, or at least stories about a monster. Perhaps they are just convenient tales told by grannies to stop local children playing too near the water? The most common monster in these watery warnings is the kelpie, the waterhorse. The kelpie was a creature that li...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 1 views | comments
‘Many a white-headed champion fell into rank around your banner, and many a handsome youth was mangled under horses' hooves...' 'Song to Sir Hector', Eachan Bacach The execution of King Charles I changed the whole course of the Civil war. The Scots recognized his successor. Cromwell pushed North ...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 23 views | 1 comments
Like much Scottish history the tale of Rob Roy is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. The people of the time were mostly illiterate and stories of the famous battles and legendary characters were mainly passed down the generations by word of mouth, embellished as they went, to provide the great tales ...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 7 views | comments
Cináed mac Ailpín was king of the Picts and, according to national myth, first king of Scots. Cináed's undisputed legacy was to produce a dynasty of rulers who claimed descent from him. If he cannot be regarded as the father of Scotland, he was the founder of the dynasty which ruled that country f...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 1 views | comments
William I "the Lion" (known in Gaelic as Uilliam Garm or William the Rough), reigned as King of Scots from 1165 to 1214. His reign was the second longest in Scottish history before the Act of Union with England in 1707. He became King following his brother Malcolm IV's death on 9 December 1165 and...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 1 views | comments
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada (Malcolm III) was King of Scots. He was the eldest son of Donnchad mac Crínáin. While often known as Malcolm Canmore, the earliest epithet applied to him is Long-Neck. It appears that the real Malcolm Canmore was this Máel Coluim's great-grandson Malcolm IV. Máel Coluim'...
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 2 views | comments
Mac Bethad mac Findláich, known in English as Macbeth was King of Scots (or of Alba) from 1040 until his death. He is best known as the subject of William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth and the many works it has inspired, although the play itself is of limited historical accuracy.
Posted on February 7, 2013 by | 6 views | comments
James II, the son of James I of Scotland and of Joan Beaufort had an elder twin, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, who lived long enough to receive a knighthood, but died in infancy. James II gained the nickname "Fiery face" because of a conspicuous vermilion birthmark on his face. James had si...
Posted on March 2, 2013 by | 21 views | comments
On the 8th of July 1587, the Scottish Parliament meeting in Edinburgh enacted a General Band (or Bond) For the quieting and keping in obedience of the disorderit subjectis, inhabitantis of the bordouris, hielandis and ilis. This legislation was the first attempt by James VI as an adult to bring thes...
Posted on July 15, 2013 by | 23 views | 2 comments
This article - or more 3 articles was kindly sent to us by William Shaw Of-Easter Lair. It's three diary pieces; the first wrote from the point of view a tribal warrior during the time of the Roman incursion, the second from a young man living on the Tay circa 800 and finally the third from a Clan ...
Posted on September 17, 2019 by | 13 views | comments
Notes on one of the Most Obscure clans in Scotland's History. Clan MacFadyen, or MacPhaiden, or Patton, etc... In doing research recently for my Bachelor's thesis on Gaelic culture in Scotland and Ireland, and in turn doing some digging into family history, I decided to pursue my Patton roots and lo...
Posted on February 6, 2013 by | 16 views | comments
Measuring for a Gents Kilt (and Older Boys) Taking Your Measurements: For men it is important to have the correct "starting point". this is exactly 2 inches above the hip bone. Gents Measurement Guide For Wearing A Kilt WAIST (1) From this starting point measure around the stomach, this is the wais...