Calder
Calder Tartan Collection
Honour the Thanes of Cawdor with the Calder collection — the Highland clan that built Cawdor Castle of Macbeth's fame, whose heiress Muriel carried their thanedom to the Campbells, under the motto Be Mindful.
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About the Calder Tartan
Clan Calder is a Highland clan, the ancient Thanes of Calder — later spelled Cawdor — whose lands lay around Nairn and Inverness. The name may come from a Brittonic word for "hard" or "violent water," or from Gaelic roots meaning a wooded stream. An armigerous clan today, Calder is also recognised as a sept of Clan Campbell of Cawdor, and members traditionally wear the Campbell of Cawdor tartan.
This collection celebrates the Calder and Caddell name and its Highland heritage of castle and thanedom, bringing the Campbell of Cawdor tartan into apparel, accessories, home decor and heritage gifts for those who carry the name or trace their line to the country around Cawdor.
Calder & Campbell of Cawdor Tartan Colours
Worn as the Campbell of Cawdor sett, the collection draws on the dark Black Watch base of green, blue and black, lifted by stripes of red and pale yellow — a dignified Highland tartan that joins the old thanes of Calder to the great Clan Campbell into which their line passed.
Who Is This Collection For?
The Calder collection is a meaningful choice for the Calder and Caddell family, descendants of Nairn and Inverness, Campbell of Cawdor kin, and anyone drawn to a clan whose castle is forever linked to the legend of Macbeth.
- Calder & Caddell family
- Nairn & Inverness roots
- Campbell of Cawdor kin
- Clan gatherings
- Birthday & Christmas gifts
- Everyday tartan style
Calder Clan Heritage
The Calders were Thanes of Cawdor from early times, building the great tower at the heart of Cawdor Castle around 1454 — the castle that Shakespeare immortalised as the seat of the Thane of Cawdor in Macbeth. They intermarried with the powerful Roses of Kilravock and held wide lands in the north. But the direct line ended with an heiress: in 1499 the infant Muriel Calder, sole heir of the 7th Thane, was the focus of a fierce struggle.
Muriel was carried off by the Campbells and in 1510 married Sir John Campbell, son of the 2nd Earl of Argyll — her uncles giving chase in the bloody Battle of Daltullich, where Campbell of Inverliver is said to have lost six sons. Through this marriage the thanedom passed to the Campbells of Cawdor, from whom descend the Earls of Cawdor who hold the castle still. The Calder name lived on in branches such as the Calders of Asswanley, and the motto Be Mindful endures.
Calder Tartan FAQ
Quick answers about the Calder name, the tartan its members wear, and why Calder products make meaningful Scottish heritage gifts.
Does Calder have its own tartan?
Calder is an armigerous clan and a sept of Clan Campbell of Cawdor, so members traditionally wear the Campbell of Cawdor tartan.
What clan is Calder a sept of?
Calder, with its variant Caddell, is recognised as a sept of Clan Campbell of Cawdor, into which the Calder thanedom passed by marriage.
Where does the Calder name come from?
From the lands of Calder — later Cawdor — around Nairn and Inverness. The name may come from a Brittonic word for "hard" or "violent water."
Is Cawdor Castle connected to the Calders?
Yes. The Calders, as Thanes of Cawdor, built the great tower of Cawdor Castle around 1454 — the castle made famous by Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Who was Muriel Calder?
Muriel Calder was the heiress of the last Calder Thane of Cawdor; her marriage to Sir John Campbell in 1510 carried the thanedom to the Campbells of Cawdor.
Is Calder tartan a good gift?
Yes. Campbell of Cawdor-tartan Calder products make a meaningful gift for the Calder family and for those with Nairn or Inverness heritage.
Celebrate the Calder Name and Cawdor Heritage
Discover Campbell of Cawdor tartan apparel, accessories and gifts for the Calder family — honouring the Thanes of Cawdor, their famous castle and the motto Be Mindful.
View Calder Tartan Products