Tuesday, 23 July 2024

Bagpipes in the 17th century

 On the Monmouth Rebellion Facebook page there was a discussion on whether the Royal Scots had pipers or not. It seemed from what Stephen Carter said the Colonel's company had them. So the next question is what were bagpipes of 1685 like? Found this article which is interesting. Anybody know more on the subject?


2 comments:

John Armatys said...

HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE FIRST, OR ROYAL REGIMENT OF FOOT: Containing and Account of the ORIGIN OF THE REGIMENT in the Reign of KING JAMES VI OF SCOTLAND, and OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES To 1846. Compiled by RICHARD CANNON, Esq. Adjutant-General's Office, HORSE GUARDS, LONDON, PARKER, FURNIVALL, & PARKER, 1847 (available on Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord49570gut/pg49570.qrcode.png and at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/49570) lists the establishment of the regiment in 1685 which includes "... 1 drum-major, 1 piper, 42 drummers ...".

A footnote on page 38 shows that they had piper and a drum major in 1637, when as "Douglas's Regiment" they were a Scottish regiment in Swedish service. They also had "Lance-Parades", who had disappeared by 1685.

Ralphus said...

Thanks John