Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Maxwell's Rant

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

MAXWELL'S RANT (R8x32) 3C (4C set) David Rutherford RSCDS Book 18

1- 8 1s cross down to dance reflection reels of 3 on opposite sides
9-16 1s cross down to dance reflection reels of 3 on own sides
17-24 1s cross RH, cast to 2nd place and dance ½ Fig of 8 round 2s
25-32 1s dance down between the 3s, cast up to 2nd place and 2s+1s+3s turn partners RH. 213

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)


Maxwell's Rant
David Rutherford RSCDS Book 18
Reel 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-8   1s cross down, 3s lead up, 2s cast up, into mirror reels of 3 on opposite sides;

  9-16 repeat bars 1-8, 1s crossing to own sides to start, all finishing in original places;

17-20 1s cross and cast to 2nd place;

21-24 1s cross up between 2s into half figures of 8 across;

25-28 1s lead down between 3s and cast up, finishing 2s1s3s on own sides;

29-32 2s 1s 3s turn by the right.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)

Dance Notes

29-32 In the 2nd, 4th and 6th repeats, in order to be ready for bar 1 of the next repeat, 1s must turn quickly and cast to finish in 4th place WHILE 3s progress up to 3rd position of the full set during their turn (finishing facing up with nearer hands joined) WHILE 2s turn normally.


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Maxwell's Rant - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Maxwell's Rant is a Scottish Country Dance originally published by John Johnson in 1748 as "Maxwill's Rant" and interpreted by the RSCDS in 1955.

The RSCDS attributes this figure to David Rutherford, who did publish it, but Johnson did so earlier.

(Dance information copyright, reproduced here with the kind permission of George Williams)


This is one of the most popular Scottish country dances. It has been in the top ten most frequent dances appearing on dance programmes, for decades.

Clan Maxwell is a Lowland Scottish clan recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, however, as the clan does not currently have a chief it is considered an Armigerous clan.

The claimed origin of the name Maxwell is that it comes from Maccus Well, a pool in the River Tweed near Kelso, Scottish Borders. Maccus was believed to be a Norse chief who lived during the reign of David I of Scotland.

The stronghold of the Maxwell family from the 13th century until the 17th century was Caerlaverock castle, located on the southern coast of Scotland, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve.

Caerlaverock Castle (from "caer laverock", "lark castle") is a moated triangular castle (the only triangular castle in the country) first built in the 13th century. It was besieged by the English during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and underwent several partial demolitions and reconstructions over the 14th and 15th centuries.

Caerlaverock Castle - Information Video

Caerlaverock castle
Caerlaverock Castle And Moat


This page contains both original content, which is copyrighted, and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Text from this original Caerlaverock Castle article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Archie Cochrane under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.

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