Additions to the Honours of Scotland

A Collection of Jewels Not Used For Ceremonies

Aug 19, 2009

Since the 19th century, there have been additional royal jewels placed on display with the Honours of Scotland.

The additions to the Honours of Scotland include a wand, Order of the Garter regalia, and a number of jewels.

The Wand

When Walter Scott found the Honours of Scotland in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle in 1818, he discovered another object in the oak chest that held the Honours. The object was a silver-gilt wand. It is over three feet long and can be separated into three pieces. The wand is topped by an oval rock crystal globe surmounted by a cross.

The Collar of the Order of the Garter

The Collar is part of the regalia given to members of the Order of the Garter. The collar is made of gold and contains 21 enamel garters with a red rose in the center. Each garter has the motto of the Order, “Honi soit qui mal y pense” (The shame be his who thinks ill of it), written in gold. The collar is 61.5 inches in length and weighs over two pounds.

Attached to the collar is the Great George of the Order of the Garter. The Great George is made of gold and colorful enamel and is in the shape of St. George on horseback slaying a dragon. St. George is the patron saint of England. The reverse side is studded with 64 rose-cute and 57 table-cut diamonds. It is 2.8 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide. It is believed that both the collar and the Great George were made in France for King James II.

The St. Andrew Jewel of the Order of the Thistle

The St. Andrew Jewel consists of an oval chalcedony etched with a cameo of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, and his cross. The cameo is surrounded by 12 rose-cut diamonds. A larger diamond is set in the ribbon loop. The other side of the pendant is enameled and enscribed with the motto of the Order of the Thistle, “Nemo me impune lacessit” (No one assails me with impunity) in gold letters. In the center of the oval is an enameled thistle. The pendant opens to reveal a miniature portrait of Princes Louise of Stolberg, the wife of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the grandson of King James II. The jewels were made in London between May 1687 and December 1688.

The Stewart Jewels

There are four items in this display that are associated with the House of Stewart. When King James II fled England in 1685 he took with him three family jewels and a ruby ring. When James died, he bequeathed the jewels to his son, known as the “Old Pretender,” who passed the Stewart Jewels to his son Bonnie Prince Charlie. When the prince died in 1788 with out an heir, the jewels were given to his younger brother, Prince Henry. Prince Henry was a cardinal who used the name Cardinal York. In 1807, Cardinal York died. He left the Stewart Jewels to King George III of Britain. George’s son, William IV, commanded that the jewels be returned to Scotland to be kept in Edinburgh Castle.

The ruby ring taken by James II is traditionally believed to have been worn by King Charles I at his English coronation in 1625. The ring had a gold engraved band and is set with a large ruby. The ruby is engraved with the cross of St. George. The ruby is surrounded by 26 small diamonds.

The Lorne Jewels

The Lorne Jewels consist of a necklace, locket and pendant. They were given to the Scottish people in 1939 by Princess Louise, a daughter of Queen Victoria. The jewels were a gift to the princess from Clan Campbell in celebration of her 1871 marriage to John Campbell, Marquis of Lorne, later 9th Duke of Argyll.

The necklace is set with a total of 190 diamonds in the shape of a series of thirteen rectangles. The rectangles are connected by thirteen pearls encircled with diamonds. The locket consists of a large pearl encircled by 10 rose diamonds, with an outer row of 20 diamonds. The pendant is pear-shaped and attached to the locket by a double sprig of Bog Myrtle, the Campbell plant badge. The double sprig is made of emeralds. On the pendant is a representation of the Galley of Lorne made of sapphires on a pave of diamonds. The Galley is encircled by the motto of the Duke of Argyll, “Ne obliviscaris” (Do not forget) set in diamond chips.

Burnett, Charles J. and Christopher J. Tabraham. The Honours of Scotland: The Story of the Scottish Crown Jewels. Edinburgh: Historic Scotland, 1993.

The copyright of the article Additions to the Honours of Scotland in Scottish History is owned by Kim Rush. Permission to republish Additions to the Honours of Scotland in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.