Downton Abbey: London Scottish piper

**OC Richard** · 18th January 16, 07:31 PM

I suddenly heard piping in the next room; my wife was binge-watching Downton Abbey and I peeked in and saw a wedding scene ("Mrs Hughes") with a piper posted outside the Church playing The Highland Wedding for the Recessional.

He was dressed in the uniform of The London Scottish.

People may have found his plain taupe kilt and matching doublet rather odd, but that's been the uniform of The London Scottish since the 19th century. The doublet is trimmed in Royal Blue, the kilt has Royal Blue fringe, and the hose are diced taupe and Royal Blue.

The colour I'm calling taupe is actually called Hodden Grey.

Pretty much everything in the uniform is either Hodden Grey or Royal Blue, but oddly the piper's bag-covers are Gordon tartan.

Here is a piper of the London Scottish. Their uniform has changed little, the one worn today seen below being the same as it would have been in Downton Abbey times.

**Bluescelt** · 18th January 16, 07:41 PM

I enjoyed that scene.

**ctbuchanan** · 19th January 16, 10:26 AM

One of the main characters, Lord Grantham, served in the military so I checked to find out his regiment and it was the Grenadier Guards. So, no connection to the piper that I can discern.

**IsaacW** · 19th January 16, 10:33 AM

Is that the latest season? I am not keeping up. I DO love the hodden grey that is used though!

IW

**OC Richard** · 19th January 16, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by IsaacW

Is that the latest season? I am not keeping up. I DO love the hodden grey that is used though!

IW

I don't watch that show, in fact that brief scene is my sum total. But I think my wife said that that's the season currently airing in the USA.

**California Highlander** · 19th January 16, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

I don't watch that show, in fact that brief scene is my sum total. But I think my wife said that that's the season currently airing in the USA.

That is correct, we watched it on PBS last Sunday (2 days ago). My normally "meh, about things Scottish" wife and kids commented positively on the piper before I did!

**Pleater** · 21st January 16, 08:58 AM

Whenever I see Hodden Grey my first thought is herdwick ram - the sheep vary in colour, being born black and then gradually fading to ever lighter shades of grey, but the rams are shown with their fleece coloured red.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**MacRob** · 1st February 16, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

I don't watch that show, in fact that brief scene is my sum total. But I think my wife said that that's the season currently airing in the USA.

That's correct. This is the final season. Frankly I have become a bit bored with it but it is a Sunday night ritual to either watch it or DVR it for later consumption. I saw the piper last week and immediately determined he was from the London Scottish, wearing hodden grey. Mrs. Hughes, the character, is Scottish so it was very appropriate.

**OC Richard** · 19th January 16, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by ctbuchanan

One of the main characters, Lord Grantham, served in the military so I checked to find out his regiment and it was the Grenadier Guards. So, no connection to the piper that I can discern.

It would have been cool to have had that character's service in the Scots Guards; then they could have had one of his old regiment's pipers there.