The History of Scotland’s Bagpipes
Any trip to Edinburgh is remiss without the quintessential photo shot: of you with a bagpiper! But why are pipers so closely connected with Scotland?
Well, despite all the noise coming from the city streets (Princes Street and the Royal Mile in particular), the origin and link of bagpipes in Edinburgh is relatively unclear. Some say it was the Romans, and other say it was a colonial import of the commonwealth.
The first mention of a Scottish piper was in 1623 when a “Great Piper” was fined for playing on the Sabbath. (Obviously said law is no longer in palce!)
Pipers played an important role in village events, which is why you’ll almost always see a piper at a proper Scottish wedding.
The Pipes were also instrumental in the many battles and wars in the highlands – they say you could hear a Highland army approaching from 10 miles away! Scary indeed.
So, next time you’re in Edinburgh….consider the history of the good o’l bagpipes.
photo by essers
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