English: Tartan named after Robert Roy MacGregor (Rob Roy) in 1850, and also known as MacGregor Red and Black. The pattern dates to at least 1815-16 as a MacGregor tartan, when the Royal Highland Society of London solicited clan tartans from chiefs, and the chief of Clan Gregor supplied this one. It dates to at least 1745 in a portrait (of a non-MacGregor). It remains one of several MacGregor clan tartans today, and is also used in various colours as one of the most popular patterns for flannel and (usually with white as one of the colours) gingham for shirts, bedding, etc. The Rob Roy sett is simply equal amounts of black and red, at any proportionate size (e.g. /K100 R100/). This is a normal, mirroring tartan.

This image is not just full-sett and is not tileable, but is of the pattern a centred and zoomed out enough to give the appearance of the cloth, and for comparison to other tartans given the same image treatment.

Scottish Register of Tartans notes on this pattern: "1819 KPB & Highland Society of London. A specimen of the Rob Roy sett exists in the collection of the Highland Society of London (1816 - 1817), bearing the Seal of Arms of Sir John MacGregor Murray of MacGregor, Baronet, and signed John M. Murray and is labelled 'The MacGregor Tartan for undress ordinary clothing.' The specimens were collected during the period 1815-16. D.W. Stewart says no documentary evidence of Rob Roy actually wearing it but in their 1850 book 'The Clan and Family Tartans of Scotland'. W and A Smith of Mauchline wrote: 'Of this distinguished personage no fewer than three original portraits exist - all taken from life, and all dressed in this Tartan. One of these, 1704 is at Broomhill near Hamilton, one being 1714 Scottish Antiquarian Society and one is at 1734 in possession of George Buchanan, Esq, of Arden.' Grant in his 1886 book 'Clans of Scotland' repeats the dates of the portraits. Also known as 'Old MacGregor'. The 'Rob Roy' name is thought to have been attached during the romantic Victorian period. There is no set thread count for this pattern and it is woven at various sizes from 1 inch to 6 inch squares in equal proportions. The Clan Gregor website lists four official Clan tartans: MacGregor of Cardney; MacGregor Red and Green; MacGregor of Glengyle and Rob Roy MacGregor. This tartan is described as MacGregor Red and Black on Clan Gregor website." Warning: the above is not encyclopedic information, but repetition of wild claims. No tartan, clan, or art historians have ever been able to find any such portraits; the earliest known alleged likeness of Robert Roy MacGregor dates to c. 1820.

Clan Gregor Society notes on this pattern [1]: "Mistakenly styled 'Rob Roy' for reasons to do with Highland romanticism and marketing, some have questioned the MacGregors' claim to this tartan as there are portraits of Norman Macleod of Macleod, and the 7th Earl of Wemyss dressed in it. Both were painted by Allan Ramsay in about 1748. Less well known are two further paintings of Lord Ogilvie and and Prince Charles Edward Stuart in the same tartan painted in about 1745. The tartan can be dated back to the late 17th century with certainty. Given its simple design, it satisfied some sort of generic function, before tartans became associated with clan names in about 1790. Sir John Murray MacGregor, the clan chief, would have signed and sealed it as MacGregor tartan in 1816 with the Highland Society of London, for good historical reasons."