[Jonathan Fletcher]

And from this morning, St Columba's church on the Isle of Lewis, a superb effigy of a knight, supposed to be Roderick MacLeod (d.1498).

Again, if this a correct attribution, very dated armour but a fine hand-and-half sword with a lobed pommel and down sloping cross, broad blade with straight edges.

[Stephen Curtin]

[Jonathan Fletcher]

Stephen.

Thanks for the information which makes a lot of sense: Indeed, I cannot see the knee length gambesons like those depicted being worn whilst mounted. Interestingly, neither of the figures wearing the typical coif/aventail, gambeson, bascinet garb appeared to have maille hose, in fact the only maille depicted were the coifs; legs were smooth, but these possibly greaves though no hinges or straps to be seen. Also, perhaps hauberks, if owned, were worn under the gambeson to afford some protection from the elements? Alastair Crotach & son William, or at least their harness, must have set them apart from their peers, regardless of its' age/appearance at the time of their deaths in the early 16th century and in fairness to the father, if he had this made in his youth it would have been reasonably fashionable when made.

P.S. Not many horses to be seen on Lewis still today. Lots of peat, not much grazing.

[Stephen Curtin]

Well Jonathan, some grave slabs do show a hauberk worn over a gambeson (which is often called a cotun in the Irish and Highland Scots context). Of course in the cases where a hauberk isn't clearly visible, it could be worn under the cotun. As far as the smooth legs go, this is because a lot of highlanders went bare legged, though some did wear tight fitting trews, either of which options would account for the smooth legs on these carvings. And mail hose are another one of these things that were developed for heavy cavalry, that weren't really necessary in the Highlands.