The frequent use of tartans by non-Highland families during a long
period—certainly throughout the eighteenth century—has been noted
elsewhere. It is not suggested that these wore the dress to the same
extent as the inhabitants of the Western Highlands and Islands, but,
nevertheless, the use of tartans was popular in the South of Scotland
at the time of the Union of the Kingdoms, and for long afterwards.
About this period, probably, the design here illustrated came to be
adopted by the Montgomeries of Ayrshire. A fine example in old hard
tartan, from Dr. Skene’s collection, has been employed as a guide in
the reproduction of the sett. An examination of the historical relics
in the possession of the Earl of Eglinton, the head of the Montgomerie
family, at Eglinton Castle has furnished ample evidence of the early
use of the tartan as here illustrated. In 1757 the Honourable Archibald
Montgomerie, son of the Earl of Eglinton, received letters of service
to raise a regiment in the North. It was known as Montgomerie’s
Highlanders. The uniform, as appears from the Eglinton portraits
examined by the author, consisted of the Highland dress, but the tartan
worn was the Government or Black Watch sett, and not the Montgomerie
pattern.
An interesting record of the encouragement by this family of the
manufacture of tartans in Ireland about the year 1600 will be found in
the Introduction.
[Illustration: XXIX. MONTGOMERIE]