Dunbar
Dunbar Tartan Collection
Celebrate the great Earls of March with the Dunbar collection — the mighty house of Gospatric on Scotland's eastern frontier, home of "Black Agnes," who held her castle against an English siege, under the motto In Promptu, "In Readiness."
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About the Dunbar Tartan
Clan Dunbar is one of the oldest and noblest families of the Scottish Lowlands, taking its name from the great fortress of Dunbar on the East Lothian coast, from the Gaelic Dùn Bàrr, "fort on the headland." The chiefs descend from Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria, and rose to be Earls of Dunbar and March, lords of the eastern Borders. A clan with its own chief, the Dunbar of Mochrum, the Dunbars have their own distinctive tartan.
Whether you bear the Dunbar name, descend from East Lothian or Moray, or simply admire a clan once second only to royalty, this collection brings the Dunbar tartan into wearable apparel, everyday accessories, home decor and meaningful heritage gifts.
Dunbar Tartan Pattern & Colours
The Dunbar tartan, drawn from the Vestiarium Scoticum of 1842, is a handsome sett of blue and green crossed with black and lifted by bold lines of red and white — dignified colours fitting for one of the great houses of medieval Scotland, lords of the eastern march.
Who Is This Collection For?
The Dunbar tartan collection is a meaningful choice for the Dunbar family and its branches at Mochrum, Hempriggs and Northfield, descendants of East Lothian, Moray and Caithness, and anyone drawn to a clan of ancient and noble lineage.
- Dunbar family members
- East Lothian & Moray roots
- Mochrum & Hempriggs branches
- Clan gatherings
- Birthday & Christmas gifts
- Everyday tartan style
Dunbar Clan Heritage
Gospatric, driven from the Earldom of Northumbria by William the Conqueror, was granted the lands of Dunbar by Malcolm III, and his line rose to hold the earldoms of Dunbar and March. The clan's most celebrated figure was "Black Agnes," Countess of Dunbar, who in 1338 held Dunbar Castle through a nineteen-week English siege in her husband's absence — famously dusting the battlements with her handkerchief where the cannon had struck. Through her marriage the clan later gained the Earldom of Moray.
So great did the Dunbars grow that a jealous James I stripped the eleventh Earl of his lands and titles in 1455, ending the earldom but not the name. Five branches rose to baronetcies — Mochrum, Northfield, Hempriggs, Durn and Boath — and the chiefship rests today with the Dunbars of Mochrum. The clan gave Scotland the poet William Dunbar and the town of Dunbar gave the world John Muir, father of the national parks. The crest is a horse's head, the motto In Promptu.
Dunbar Tartan FAQ
Quick answers about the Dunbar tartan, who can wear it, and why Dunbar products make meaningful Scottish heritage gifts.
What is the Dunbar tartan?
It is the clan tartan of Clan Dunbar, a blue and green sett with red, black and white, drawn from the Vestiarium Scoticum of 1842.
Who can wear the Dunbar tartan?
Anyone can wear it. It is especially meaningful for those of the Dunbar name and for anyone with East Lothian, Moray or Caithness ancestry.
Who was Black Agnes?
Agnes, Countess of Dunbar, who in 1338 defended Dunbar Castle through a nineteen-week English siege, famously dusting off the battlements where the cannonballs struck.
Where does the Dunbar name come from?
From the great fortress of Dunbar on the East Lothian coast, from the Gaelic Dùn Bàrr, "fort on the headland."
Who is the chief of Clan Dunbar?
The chief is the Dunbar of Mochrum, head of the senior surviving branch of this ancient clan.
Is Dunbar tartan a good gift?
Yes. Dunbar products make thoughtful gifts for family members, clan gatherings, birthdays, Christmas and Scottish heritage celebrations.
Celebrate Your Dunbar Heritage in Style
Discover Dunbar tartan apparel, accessories and meaningful Scottish-inspired gifts that honour the Earls of March, Black Agnes and the motto In Promptu.
View Dunbar Tartan Products