Kilts and Covenanters

[Hothir Ethelnor]

I have an opportunity to work with some filmmakers planning a film series about the Covenanter rebellions in the 17th century.

I am doing a bunch of research for them and I wondered if the Rabble could contribute any information on the clothing of the Lowland Scots between 1660 and 1690.

The film producers are all gung ho about kilts and the "Scottish" aesthetic and obviously I love kilts too but my understanding so far, is that they are not at all typical of the Presbyterian lowlanders.

Anyone care to add info for or against kilts so I can advocate for a balanced and accurate portrayal?

[Phil]

Anyone care to add info for or against kilts so I can advocate for a balanced and accurate portrayal?

As you rightly say, the Covenanting movement came about as a protest by presbyterian Scots against the attempt by Charles I to impose an episcopacy on them. Their dress would have been very much as you would imagine your own pilgrim fathers who also suffered religious persecution at the time. The wearers of kilts at that time were exclusively highland Scots living in the rugged north and west of the country and who were almost exclusively of the Roman Catholic faith - something completely anathema to the Covenanters. So the answer unequivocally is - No the Covenanters did not wear kilts.

[McClef]

I would be very surprised indeed if any of them wore kilts which were at that time an exclusively highland garment. I had a search but could find nothing to indicate otherwise.

[MacRobert's Reply]

As others have said, no or very few, kilts. In paintings of the Covenanters, all produced well after the era and with the artistic license of the painters, I can only remember seeing one kilted image. I think it is at the University of Edinburgh but it may be in one of the other Edinburgh galleries. In it a single ancient with a crummock is kilted.

Of course Scots did travel between the highland and lowlands and although the Covenanters were strongest in the lowlands their influence was found further north where kilts where more common.

What would have been common among the lowlands Covenanters were bonnets and shepherd-type plaids.

[David]

I dont know about history, having been brought up in Englandshire, so cannot comment for sure, but would agree that its is highly unlikely the convenantors wore kilts. The area I live and work in has many memorials to the covenantors and battle sites. If you wish, I could take some pictures and post them here for you.

[Benning Boy]

Don't know if it helps, but there is a portrait of one of my kinsmen, Sir Robert Dalrymple of Castleton, done in 1720 I believe, that shows him dressed in tartan, but his clothes as shown are more of a Saxon style. This portrait was done somewhat later than the period that interests you, but not that much. Perhaps lowlanders sometimes wore tartan clothing, but not kilts. I haven't delved too deeply in to Dalrymple history in Scotland, being more interested in the family here in the USA, but I believe the the family in the old country were Presbyterians, and it's conceivable they may have been Covenanters. Perhaps someone can fill me in, but it could be historically accurate to portray Covenators in tartan, just not kilts.

[Nathan]

As I understand it, the covenanters often wore black as an expression of modesty. Phil is correct that the clothing would be far closer to that of an American pilgrim than a Highlander.

[Phil]

This link to Google images gives some representations of the dress of the time which may be helpful - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gr...&bih=701&dpr=1 .

[Dung Trumpet]

You could also look up the history of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) which were a lowland regiment first raised in 1689. The only part of the regiment that was kilted were the pipers when on parade. It was a unique regiment in that every new recruit was given a bible, and that their church services had to have four armed guards posted as sentries outside the church.

[figheadair]

You could also look up the history of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) which were a lowland regiment first raised in 1689. The only part of the regiment that was kilted were the pipers when on parade. It was a unique regiment in that every new recruit was given a bible, and that their church services had to have four armed guards posted as sentries outside the church.

The Pipers were certainly kilted in the C20th but would not have been, if indeed there were pipers in the regiment, in the late 1600s.

It's also worth pointing out that by 'kilt' we're really talking about the bleted plaid at that time.