Lockerbie (, gd, Locarbaidh) is a small town in
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway ( sco, Dumfries an Gallowa; gd, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It covers the counties of Scotland, historic counties of ...
, south-western
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. It is about from
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, and from the border with England. The
2001 Census recorded its population as 4,009. The town came to international attention in December 1988 when the wreckage of
Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit via a stopover in London and another in New York City. The transatlantic leg of the route was operated by ''Clipper Maid of the Seas'', a Boeing ...
crashed there following a
terrorist
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
bomb attack aboard the flight.
Prehistory and archaeology
In 2006, ahead of the construction of a new primary and secondary school archaeologists from CFA Archaeology under took excavations. They discovered the remains of a large (27 x 8m)
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
timber hall that dated to somewhere between 3950 BC to 3700 BC. The archaeologists found it was in use for some time as some of the posts had been replaced. Flax seeds were found in the timber hall showing the people were processing flax. This is an extremely rare find with only one other site in Scotland showing evidence of flax production in the Neolithic period. Like with most other Neolithic timber halls, it was purposely burned down at the end of its use. There is also Neolithic a
lithic
Lithic may refer to:
*Relating to stone tools
**Lithic analysis, the analysis of stone tools and other chipped stone artifacts
**Lithic core, the part of a stone which has had flakes removed from it
**Lithic flake, the portion of a rock removed to ...
-working, ritual and settlement site at Beckton Farm in Lockerbie that was excavated in the 1990s.
A
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
cremation
Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a Cadaver, dead body through Combustion, burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India ...
and
inhumation
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
cemetery enclosed by a possible
ring-cairn was also found during the school excavation. Found in the cemetery were a Collared Urn and a copper alloy dagger of Butterwick type, which is very rare in Scotland and analysis shows it might have been imported from Wales. The cemetery was
radiocarbon dated
Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.
The method was dev ...
to between 2140 BC and 1690 BC. Another Bronze Age cemetery was found at Kirkburn, Lockerbie, and excavated in the 1960s. A corn-drying kiln dating to the late
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
or early post-medieval period (AD 1450–1800) was also discovered next to the cemetery.
Finally, an
Anglian timber hall dating to AD 430–670 was also discovered during the school excavation. That building was built over an earlier structure that is similar to earlier British structures which led the archaeologists to believe the Angles came into the area and replaced the local structure with their timber hall as a show of dominance. It is thought that the timber hall might be from the reign of
Aethelfrith during an initial
Northumbria
la, Regnum Northanhymbrorum
, conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Northumbria
, common_name = Northumbria
, status = State
, status_text = Unified Anglian kingdom (before 876)North: Anglian kingdom (af ...
n advance into south-west Scotland and that it was a drinking hall or meeting hall.
There is also the Torwood Roman camp next to Lockerbie. All of these sites indicated that people have been living in Lockerbie for at least 6000 years.
History
Lockerbie has existed since at least the days of
Viking
Vikings ; non, vÃkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
influence in this part of Scotland in the period around 900. The name (originally "Loc-hard's by") means ''Lockard Town'' in
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
. Lockerbie first entered recorded history in the 1190s in a charter of
Robert de Brus, 2nd Lord of Annandale
Robert II de Brus, ''le Meschin (the Cadet)'' ( fl. 1138, died ) was a 12th-century Norman noble and 2nd Lord of Annandale. He was the son, perhaps the second son, of Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale.
The elder de Brus' allegiances were comp ...
, granting the lands of Lockerbie to Adam de Carlyle. It appears as ''Lokardebi'' in 1306.
About to the west of Lockerbie on 7 December 1593,
Clan Johnstone
Clan Johnstone is a Border Reiver Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994 ...
fought
Clan Maxwell
Clan Maxwell is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands and is recognized as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Conv ...
at the
Battle of Dryfe Sands
The Battle of Dryfe Sands was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 6 December 1593, near Lockerbie, Scotland. It was fought between the Clan Maxwell and Clan Johnstone after a hundred years of feuding between them. The Johnstones won a dec ...
. The Johnstones nearly exterminated the Maxwells involved in the battle, leading to the expression "Lockerbie Lick."
Lockerbie's main period of growth started in 1730 when the landowners, the Johnstone family, made plots of land available along the line of the High Street, producing in effect a semi-planned settlement. By 1750 Lockerbie had become a significant town, and from the 1780s it was a staging post on the carriage route from
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
to London.
Perhaps the most important period of growth was during the 19th century.
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE, (9 August 1757 – 2 September 1834) was a Scottish civil engineer. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects in Shropshire, he designed numerous infrastructure projects in his native Scotla ...
's
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...
-to-Glasgow road was built through Lockerbie from 1816. The
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway (CR) was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century with the objective of forming a link between English railways and Glasgow. It progressively extended its network and reached Edinburgh an ...
opened the line from Carlisle to
Beattock
Beattock is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, approximately southwest of Moffat and north of Dumfries.
Beattock was historically served by the A74 road and the West Coast Main Line, however the road has since been upgraded to the ...
through Lockerbie in 1847 and later all the way to Glasgow. From 1863 until 1966 Lockerbie was also a railway junction, serving a branch line to
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...
. Known as the
Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway
The Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Railway was a railway in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. It connected Dumfries with Lockerbie via Lochmaben. Promoted independently, it was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway to give access to Dumfriesshire and lat ...
, it was closed to passengers in 1952 and to freight in 1966. The town is served by
Lockerbie railway station
, symbol_location = gb
, symbol = rail
, image = Lockerbie station.jpg
, caption = The exterior of Lockerbie station
, borough = Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway
, country = ...
.
Lockerbie had been home to Scotland's largest lamb market since the 18th century but the arrival of the Caledonian Railway increased further its role in the cross-border trade in sheep. The railway also produced a lowering in the price of coal, allowing a gas works to be built in the town in 1855.
Hallmuir Prisoner of War Camp
About south of Lockerbie along the C92 road to
Dalton
Dalton may refer to:
Science
* Dalton (crater), a lunar crater
* Dalton (program), chemistry software
* Dalton (unit) (Da), the atomic mass unit
* John Dalton, chemist, physicist and meteorologist
Entertainment
* Dalton (Buffyverse), minor cha ...
are the remains of Hallmuir
prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. P ...
. After the Second World War, this camp housed
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
soldiers from the
Galician Division of the Waffen SS. They
built a chapel from converted army huts. It was listed in 2003 as a
Category B building. The chapel remains in use, currently holding Ukrainian services on the first Sunday of every alternate month.
Pan American 103 bombing
Lockerbie is known internationally as the place where, on 21 December 1988, the wreckage of
Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit via a stopover in London and another in New York City. The transatlantic leg of the route was operated by ''Clipper Maid of the Seas'', a Boeing ...
crashed after a terrorist bomb on board detonated. In the United Kingdom, the event is often referred to as the "Lockerbie disaster" or the "Lockerbie bombing". Eleven residents of the town were killed in Sherwood Crescent, where the aircraft's wings and fuel tanks plummeted in a fiery explosion, destroying several houses and leaving a large crater, with debris causing damage to other buildings nearby. All 259 people on the flight also died. The 270 total victims were citizens of 20 different nations. The event remains the deadliest terrorist attack and aviation disaster in Britain.
Lockerbie Academy
Lockerbie Academy is a mainstream non-denominational secondary school in Lockerbie, Scotland. The head teacher
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title i ...
, the town's high school, became the headquarters for the response and recovery effort after the Pan Am Flight 103 disaster. Subsequently, the academy, in cooperation with
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
of
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...
, US, which lost 35 students in the bombing, established a scholarship at the university. Each year, two students spend one academic year at Syracuse University as Lockerbie Scholars before they begin their university study. The rector of Lockerbie Academy, Graham Herbert, was recognised in November 2003 at Syracuse University with the Chancellor's Medal for outstanding service. A former student of the academy, Helen Jones, was killed in the
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings, often referred to as 7/7, were a series of four coordinated suicide attacks carried out by Islamic terrorists in London that targeted commuters travelling on the city's public transport system during the mo ...
. In her memory, a new scholarship was set up, awarding £1000 towards further education to aspiring accounting students from the academy. Pan Am clipper Maid Of The Seas was a Boeing 747-121 and was a regularly scheduled flight between London Heathrow airport and John F Kennedy international airport, NYC. The particular aircraft was acquired new from Boeing and served with the airline until its destruction in 1988.
Notable buildings, architecture and people
![Lockerbietownhall2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Lockerbietownhall2.jpg)
Much of Lockerbie is built from red sandstone. There are several imposing buildings near the centre, including
Lockerbie Town Hall
Lockerbie Town Hall is a municipal building in the High Street in Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The structure, which is used as a venue for the provision of local services, is a Category A listed building.
History
Although Locker ...
, completed in 1880.
A little to the north of the centre is the Dryfesdale Parish Church, with its brightly decorated interior. The name Dryfesdale comes from the local river, the Dryfe Water, which joins the River Annan a little to the west of the town.
Dryfesdale Lodge Visitors' Centre, formerly a cemetery worker's cottage, was opened on 25 October 2003 after extensive renovation work funded by the Lockerbie Trust and is maintained with grant assistance from Dumfries & Galloway Council. There are two exhibition rooms in the Lodge and also the Dryfesdale Room that is used as a quiet room for visitors to reflect. A permanent exhibition room displays ten history panels depicting Lockerbie's past, stretching from its prehistoric origins to 1988's terrorist attack and beyond. In the cemetery grounds nearby is the
Lockerbie Memorial Garden of Remembrance.
Lockerbie House was built in 1814 for
Sir William Douglas, 4th Baronet of Kelhead and Dame Grace Johnstone and their children: Mary, Catherine, Christian, Henry Alexander,
William Robert Keith Douglas,
Charles Douglas, 6th Marquess of Queensberry
Charles Douglas, 6th Marquess of Queensberry, (March 1777 – 3 December 1837), known as Sir Charles Douglas, 5th Baronet between 1783 and 1810, was a Scottish peer and member of Clan Douglas.
Early life
Douglas was the eldest son and heir of S ...
and
John Douglas, 7th Marquess of Queensberry
John Douglas, 7th Marquess of Queensberry (1779 – 19 December 1856), styled Lord John Douglas from May to December 1837, was a Scottish Whig politician.
Early life
Queensberry was the son of Sir William Douglas, 4th Baronet (died 16 May 178 ...
. It was inhabited by several different members of the Douglas family through the generations; including both
Archibald Douglas, 8th Marquis of Queensberry
Archibald William Douglas, 8th Marquess of Queensberry PC (18 April 1818 – 6 August 1858), styled Viscount Drumlanrig between 1837 and 1856, was a British Conservative Party politician. He notably served as Comptroller of the Household betwe ...
PC (son of John Douglas) and his wife Caroline Margaret Clayton (daughter of General Sir William Robert Clayton MP) and their children British mountaineer
Lord Francis William Bouverie Douglas
Lord Francis William Bouverie Douglas (8 February 1847 – 14 July 1865) was a novice British mountaineering, mountaineer. After sharing in the first ascent of the Matterhorn, he died in a fall on the way down from the summit.
Early life
Born ...
, Lady Gertrude Georgiana Douglas,
John Sholto Douglas
John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry (20 July 184431 January 1900), was a British people, British nobleman, remembered for his atheism, his outspoken views, his brutish manner, for lending his name to the "Queensberry Rules" that fo ...
, Viscount Drumlanrig and later the 9th Marquess of Queensberry, clergyman Lord Archibald Edward Douglas and the twins Lord James Douglas and
Lady Florence Dixie
Lady Florence Caroline Dixie (née Douglas; 25 May 18557 November 1905) was a Scottish writer, war correspondent, and feminist. Her account of travelling ''Across Patagonia'', her children's books ''The Young Castaways'' and ''Aniwee; or, The ...
(who married Sir Alexander Beaumont Churchill Dixie, 11th Baronet).
John Sholto Douglas
John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry (20 July 184431 January 1900), was a British people, British nobleman, remembered for his atheism, his outspoken views, his brutish manner, for lending his name to the "Queensberry Rules" that fo ...
was a patron of sport and a noted boxing enthusiast. In 1866 he was one of the founders of the Amateur Athletic Club, now the
Amateur Athletic Association
The Amateur Athletic Association of England or AAA (pronounced 'three As') is the oldest national governing body for athletics in the world, having been established on 24 April 1880. Historically it effectively oversaw athletics throughout Britai ...
of England. The following year the club published a set of twelve rules for conducting boxing matches. The rules had been drawn up by John Graham Chambers, but appeared under Queensberry's sponsorship and are universally known as the "
Marquess of Queensberry rules".
Lockerbie House is an important establishment within Lockerbie, in the past having been owned mainly by the
Johnstone Baronets and Douglas family (including
Arthur Johnstone-Douglas Arthur Henry Johnstone-Douglas JP DL (23 June 1846 – 26 March 1923) was a Scottish soldier and politician.
Early life
Johnstone-Douglas was born on 23 June 1846 into Clan Douglas. He was the son of Robert Johnstone-Douglas of Lockerbie (1814†...
) together with most of the land and housing within the town. Like much of Lockerbie, this
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
house is built of
old red sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Great Britain, Ireland and Norway, and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North America. It also exte ...
. It has about 40 bedrooms, and is situated within of secluded woodland and gardens, with several outbuildings including a gatehouse, a walled garden,
croquet
Croquet ( or ; french: croquet) is a sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops (often called "wickets" in the United States) embedded in a grass playing court.
Its international governing body is the Wor ...
lawn, orchards, helipad and a
hunting dog
A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and g ...
pen. Until recently there was also a large stable block, but that has been partly converted into a house; the remaining stables are used by a local riding school. This large property has frequently been used as a country house hotel. The house is now owned by outdoor pursuits company Manor Adventure, and serves as a centre for school activity courses and family adventure holidays.
Steven's Croft power station opened in 2008 just to the north of the town. It is the largest
biomass
Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bi ...
-powered electric generator in the UK.
Sport
![Lockerbie Golf Course - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Lockerbie_Golf_Course_-_geograph.org.uk_-_221717.jpg)
Located across the road from Lockerbie Academy, Lockerbie Ice Rink was built in 1966 and is one of the oldest indoor ice rinks in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
The town's senior football club is
Mid-Annandale, who compete in the
South of Scotland Football League
The South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) is a senior football league based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Founded in 1946, it i ...
. The club play at the recently refurbished King Edward Park.
See also
*
All Saints Church, Lockerbie
All Saints Church is in Ashgrove Terrace, Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is a Category B listed building and an active Scottish Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway.
History
The church was built in 1903 and ...
References
External links
VisitScotland entry for the Ukrainian POW Chapel
{{authority control
Pan Am Flight 103
Towns in Dumfries and Galloway