Bruce tartan
Clan tartan of Clan Bruce.
This is the chief's own sett, still worn by today's Earl of Elgin and Kincardine. Lord Bruce believed the pattern came from a weaver's chart dating to 1571, and a specimen was kept by the Cumming-Bruces of Dumphail in the nineteenth century. Its age has not been independently confirmed, but it has long stood as the principal Bruce tartan.
Thread count
W/8 K2 R44 G10 R8 G24 R12 G24 R8 G10 R44 K2 Y/8Each letter is a colour and each number a count of threads. The slashes mark the pivots: the pattern runs to the end, then reverses back on itself.
Colours
- W — White
- K — Black
- R — Red
- G — Mod Green
- Y — Yellow
Shades follow the Register's palette for this entry. Woven cloth varies by mill and by colourway.
Get the kilt
When you order a kilt, ask for the tartan by its full name — for example “Bruce” — and say which colourway you want. “Modern” is dark and strong, “ancient” is lighter, “weathered” is muted. The sett is the same in each.
We are choosing retailers we trust and will list them here soon.
Wear the colours
Our own Bruce range is on its way: the name, the tartan and the motto on a heavyweight tee, a hoodie and a mug. About the shop.
