Tartan

Do the Pringles have a Tartan?

There is no traditional clan tartan for the Pringle clan. The Pringles are a Lowland clan, not a Highland clan so we didn’t ever wear Tartan Kilts. As Borderers it would be more appropriate for Pringles to wear Tweed and trews rather than highland kilts. However if you insist on wearing a kilt, here are some suggested tartans that are suitable for a Pringle to wear:

UPDATE:
At the 2017 AGM the Pringle membership present voted and declared ‘Border Reiver Tartan’ to be the official Tartan of the Clan Pringle Association.

Shepherd, Border Reiver or Northumberland Tartan

For many years, James Pringle of Torwoodlee and the Braw Lads of Gala, have worn ‘Shepherd Tartan’ (also known as 'Border Reiver Tartan' or 'Northumberland Tartan'). Sir Walter Scott was the first to have a pair of trews made from Shepherd Tartan, and his Shepherd tartan plaid is still in Bowhill House. It is a basic black and white check pattern sett. See: Wikipedia - Border Tartan and www.northumberlandtartan.co.uk. http://www.tartansauthority.com/tartan-ferret/display/1253/shepherd-check-universal

Modern ‘Pringle’ (Personal) Tartan

Designed c.1988 by Tony Murray and woven by D C Dalgliesh of Selkirk. This is a Personal tartan for Malcolm Pringle (of Messrs James Pringle of Inverness) his family hold exclusive rights. It is NOT a clan tartan and only members of Malcolm Pringles immediate family have the right to wear it. http://www.tartansauthority.com/tartan-ferret/display/5447/pringle-personal

Gala Water (Gallowater) District tartan

Gala Water (Gallowater) is a district tartan local to the area where the Pringles originate. It was created by Wilsons of Bannockburn, in 1793. http://www.tartansauthority.com/tartan-ferret/display/1571/gallowater-new-district

James Pringle of Torwoodlee wearing a Border Reiver or Shepherd Tartan kilt.

Other ‘District Tartans’ suitable for Pringles are:

 

If you would like to purchase some Galawater or Shepherd Tartan, I recommend the following weavers:

James Pringle Weavers Of Inverness
Holm Woollen Mill, Dores Road, Inverness, Scotland. IV2 4RB.
Phone Number : 01463 223311
https://www.ewm.co.uk/textiles/textiles-tartan.html  

The above company is now part of the Edinburgh Woolen Mill (www.ewm.co.uk). In 1996 they registered a commercial tartan for their staff to wear in the James Pringle Shop in Inverness, it’s called ‘James Pringle Tartan’.

They also have a warehouse at the port of Leith:

James Pringle Shopping Warehouse at Leith Mills
Bangor Road, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH6 5JU.
Tel: 0131 553 5161.
https://www.ewm.co.uk/men/where/manufacturer/James+Pringle.html
 
Or you could try Lochcarron of Scotland
Waverley Mill, Dunsdale Road, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 5DZ.
Tel: 01750 726 100. www.lochcarron.com
 
Buy a Border Reiver Tartan/Shepherd Tartan Tie here:LochCarron.co.uk/shepherd-tartan-tie
 
The Pringle Clan is now featured on the Lochcarron Interactive Clan Map of Scotland: http://lochcarron.co.uk/clanmap/
 

Further Information:

TartansAuthority.com – The Scottish Tartans Authority.

TartanRegister.gov.uk – The Scottish Register of Tartans, National Archives of Scotland

ScottishTartans.org – Scottish Tartans Museum, NC, USA. Resources.scottishtartans.org