Baldernock now boasts its very own tartan

The idea that the parish might have a tartan was brought to the

Community Council by Fiona Howie in March 2018, and found ready support among local residents.

Fiona asked East Dunbartonshire Council for permission to name a tartan after Baldernock, and the consents of Council and Provost were given in the autumn of 2018.

Fiona then formed a small working group to explore ways to turn the idea into a reality. It was agreed that there should be a competition – open to adults and children with links to Baldernock – to design a tartan reflecting the unique landscape, history and heritage of the parish.

There was an enthusiastic response from present and past residents,

children at the local primary school and members of the youth club.

The submissions were shown, anonymously, at at a public exhibition in the Church Hall at Balmore in late 2019, and a ballot was held to pick the winner.

The winning design was inspired by William Roy’s Military Survey Map of Scotland. This was produced in 1747, the same year the wearing of tartan was forbidden following the Jacobite Rebellion.

The map detail shows Baldernock and its surroundings, and most of the names shown on the map can still be identified in the parish today.

The colours local historian Niall Logan used in his design can be made out: black for the original drawing, wording and other detail (becoming grey for shading), yellow for the land, green for the trees, blue for water, red for buildings, and light grey for the gaps between the sections.

The finished tartan fabric, in a beautiful brushed lambswool, reflects the colours of the Baldernock countryside, and products made from the first bolt of fabric including– throws, wraps and scarves – will soon be available.

Selkirk Weaving Company produced the fabric and once Covid restrictions eased, members of the tartan team travelled there to watch the tartan being woven.

The community plans to celebrate the launch of their new tartan at an event at Balmore Golf Club.

During lockdown, the working group explored possibilities for having a tartan fabric woven and Ingles Buchan, a tartan specialist located in Govan, was identified as the best company to develop the project.

With the advice and support of Colin Brown at Ingles Buchan, the exact colours of the threads yarns were chosen and a weaver’s ‘ticket’ produced. Selkirk Weaving Company produced the fabric for Ingles Buchan.