Menzies Clan Bear

Dress Menzies Tartan
One of the oldest Tartans, and certainly it is one of the brightest. The colours match the clan shield - consisting of a “chiefgules”
- a red band across a white shield. (Oldest known registration is that of Sir Thomas Menzies 1320.)
The red and white colours are said to have been chosen because the full-dress badge of the clan was the Menzies Heath
- this heather’s flower petals have a red base and white tips.

Special Menzies Tartan
This is a tartan often chosen by girls dancing in Highland dance competions and can be seen at Highland Games.
Many of these girls must have clan connections of their own but still this sett is popular but the colours are changed to blue/white, green/white and lilac/white.

Menzies Clan
http://www.menzies.org

Sir Alexander Menzies was granted the lands of Aberfeldy and Weem.
He further extended these possessions due to his support of Bruce during the War of Independence at the expense of some of his neighbours
who had supported Comyn's claim to the crown.
Once established in Weem the same family lived there for over four hundred years and was at one time the oldest family in Strathtay.
At the peak of their power, the Menzies' held a significant swathe of the Central Highlands which included Weem,
the Appin of Dull and Rannoch. They also held land in Lothian and in Aberdeenshire. The Chief of the Clan was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1665.
Scotland is indebted to the Menzies for the introduction of the larch tree which now flourishes all over the Highlands.
Menzies of Culdares, “Old Culdares” who had been pardoned for his participation in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion, brought the first larches from the Austrian Tyrol
in 1737and presented them to the Duke of Atholl. Two of the original saplings, now grown to a great size, can be seen besides Dunkeld Cathedral.
In the nineteenth century Sir Neil Menzies of Menzies, 6th Baronet, actively promoted tree planting and agricultural improvements
which were continued by his son Sir Robert.