The Isle of Harris and Tweed

Posted by Angus MacLeod

Scotland has played an incredibly important role in the development of Western society. Scottish folk have made their mark on all continents of the world in all aspects of life from the development of the first national park in America to the spread of Christianity in Africa and Asia. However Scotland is only a very small country and when we think of it we tend to consider such things as Tartan, Kilts bagpipes and Harris Tweed.

Though the vast majority consider tartan and Harris Tweed to be fundamentally traditional Scottish nothing could be further from the truth. In actual fact much of what we consider to be traditionally Scottish was a purely Victorian exaggeration (and some say an invention). The famous author Sir Walter Scott and others took elements of the Scottish Highland culture and redesigned it in a more palatable form for the King of England. When Queen Victoria and Albert fell in love with the country more such creations developed to please the Royals and their parties.

It could be said that Sir Walter Scott and Queen Victoria created the Scottish tourism industry. Although there had been earlier visitors to Scotland they were few and far between as the country was remote and communication links were poor. Throughout the Victorian period interest in Scotland grew and, with the advent of railway systems, Scotland became the playground of the upper classes who indulged in hunting, fishing and golf.

While a small number of visitors ventured as far as the Outer Hebrides the majority wore Harris Tweed. Harris Tweed, produced only on the Isle of Harris (and Lewis) is a hard wearing and durable cloth of somber colors which was ideally suited for use in clothing for the Victorian and Edwardian upper class visitors. In 1844 the Earl of Dunmore had asked the weavers of Harris to create a cloth in a similar style to the Murray Tartan. Much encouraged by Lady Dunmore the cloth was made in various styles and quickly became popular.

Harris Tweed is heavily protected, it can only be produced in the Outer Hebrides and the methods used to make it have changed little over the centuries. The cloth is hand made and was used local wool, colored using dyes made from locally occurring plants. The cloth was incredibly tough and it was a long time before other products from abroad encroached into it’s markets however the industry eventually decreased.

In recent years there has been renewed interest in this unique material. It has, at various times, made appearances on the catwalks of the world’s fashion centers and many still prefer it over other materials. It is still common to see men dressed in a Harris Tweed jacket but use of the material has, most recently, been much more diverse. Not too long ago Nike made a very large order for the material and produced a pair of shoes using it which proved very successful, even though they were often difficult to find.

While depopulation continues to be a problem in the Hebrides much has been done to stimulate industry. Today one of the most important industries is the tourist trade which continues to grow year by year and is now a major element in the local economy. Crofting and the weaving of Harris Tweed continue to have a role but, unfortunately, the tweed industry suffered a major set back with the closure of the main mill. While the future of the industry is uncertain it is likely that there will be an enormous effort to regenerate it.

People visit the Isle of Harris and the Outer Hebrides for a great many reasons. Some visit to trace their family roots, others to indulge in sports, some to enjoy the Gaelic culture, some to study the flora and fauna, or the many archaeological sites but most of all people visit to take in the spectacular countryside. Getting to the Isle of Harris is something of a journey by car with the last leg of the trip being a short ferry crossing. However you can get there quickly via regular flights arriving on the adjoining Isle of Lewis.

Tags: Recreation

Under Recreation Tags: Recreation