The Finer Details
The town of Peebles was created a royal burgh in the year 1153. The arms already appear on a seal of which an impression is known from 1479 and the three salmon appear on the town cross dating from 1320. The arms depict one salmon swimming up the river Tweed and two swimming down. The moto: "Contranando Incrementum" meaning increase by swimming against the stream.
The ancient burgh has been protected through the centuries by the callant's or young men of the town who regularly rode the boundaries to secure the town. This is still performed each Beltane Festival by the Peebles Cornet and his supporters.
The Royal Burgh of Peebles Callants Club decided to design and commission a special tartan to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Burgh of Peebles Beltane Festival. This tartan was gifted to the people of Peebles through the community council and Beltane Committee. It was felt appropriate to remember and honour those who gave their lives continuing to protect our town and a poem was composed which reflects their sacrifice. The last verse gives reasons for choosing the colours in the tartan:
"Let this tartan then be memorial, its colours forever proclaim,
The Callants of this Royal Burgh will ever remember their slain,
The red for the blood which was precious, the blue for the flag of our land,
The green for their blanket eternal, their white cross forever will stand"
