Cornish tartans

Cornish tartans are thought to be a modern tradition started in early to mid 20th Century. The first modern kilt was plain black, and other patterns followed. It is documented that a garmant known as a "braccae" (a reddish checkered tunic) was worn by Celtic races that inhabited the British Isles, the term indicating its appearance [.Cite book | author=Logan James| authorlink= | coauthors= | title=The Scottish Gael Or Celtic Manners | date= reprint 1976
publisher=John Donald Publishers Ltd| location= | isbn=100859760219 | pages=249 - 250] The Welsh word "brech" means 'checkered' and the word "braccae" is derived from the Welsh or Cornish word "brythen" which in English translates as 'striped' or 'checkered'." [http://www.caffrey.no/pages/l4_history_of_the_kilt.htm]

So claim there is early evidence of the use of plain kilts in Cornish as seen on the bench end at Altarnun church dated circa 1510. [ [http://www.sackpfeifen.de/diy/kerts01.htm Altarnun church] ] dubioussome however contend that these images are more likely to be medieval belted tunics that were common throughout Europe. The earliest historical reference to the Cornish kilt is is from 1903 when the Cornish delegate to the Celtic Congress, convening at Caernarvon, L Duncombe-Jewell, appeared in a in a wode blue kilt. John T. Koch in his work Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia mentions a black kilt worn by the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in combat - however no historical reference is provided to support this claim.

Cornish National Tartans

First creasted in 1963, the Cornish National tartan was designed by the poet E.E. Morton Nance, nephew of Robert Morton Nance. Each colour of tartan has a special significance or meaning. The White Cross on a black background is from the banner of Saint Piran, the Patron Saint of tinners; Black and gold were the colours of the ancient Cornish kings; red for legs and beak of the national bird, the chough, and blue for the blue of the sea surrounding Cornwall. [ [http://cwic.cornwall.gov.uk/cwic-sql/details.asp?pl=CORNWALL&lno=150&st=O&i=O8267&a=O164 Cornish Tartan] from the Cornwall County Council website] . A prototype of the Cornish national tartan was first worn by Morton-Nance in the 1963 Celtic Congress held at Carbis Bay attached to a Clan Douglas kilt that he was wearing for the occasion. The Cornish Hunting Tartan was registered in the 1980's [ [http://www.houseoftartan.com ] .

The following Cornish tartans have been registered or have been previously registered. Some of theses are Cornish family tartans which are worn at family get togethers and weddings. [ [http://www.houseoftartan.com/scottish/dir2.asp?secid=80&subsecid=1127 House of Tartan: Cornish ] ] .

* Cornish National Tartan (registry #1567)
* Cornish Hunting Tartan (registry #1568)
* Saint Piran Cornish Flag Tartan (registry #1618)
* Saint Piran Cornish Dress Tartan (registry #1685)
* Cornish National Day Tartan (registry #1262)
* Christopher family Tartan (registry #2809)
* Rosevear Tartan (registry #2541)
* Curnow of Kernow Tartan (registry #4084) [All tartans checked in The Scottish Tartan Authority online database "The tartan ferret"] .

References

External links

* [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nancegc/cornwall.htm#section1tartan Cornish National Tartan]
* http://www.alanrichards.org/cornishtartan.htm
* [http://www.cornish-tartans.co.uk/ Cornish tartans]
* [http://www.cornish-kilts.co.uk/ Cornish Kilts]
* [http://www.tartanweb.org/modern/cornish.html Cornish Tartan] Information and Images