Dumfries, Scotland
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Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former
royal burgh A royal burgh ( ) was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs. Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...
, Scotland, near the mouth of the
River Nith The River Nith (; Common Brittonic: ''Nowios'') is a river in south-west Scotland. The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, east of Dalmellington. For the majority of its course it flows ...
on the
Solway Firth The Solway Firth is an inlet on the west coast of Great Britain, forming part of the border between England and Scotland. The firth (a Scottish term for an inlet of the sea) divides Cumbria (including the Solway Plain) from Dumfries and Gallow ...
, from the
Anglo-Scottish border The Anglo-Scottish border runs for between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west, separating Scotland and England. The Firth of Forth was the border between the Picto- Gaelic Kingdom of Alba and the Angli ...
. Dumfries is the
county town In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...
of the historic county of
Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...
. Before becoming
King of Scots The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the British cons ...
,
Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
killed his rival
John Comyn III of Badenoch John Comyn III of Badenoch, nicknamed the Red ( 1274 – 10 February 1306), was a leading Scottish baron and magnate who played an important role in the First War of Scottish Independence. He served as Guardian of Scotland after the forced ...
at Greyfriars Kirk in the town in 1306. The
Young Pretender Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...
had his headquarters here towards the end of 1745. In
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the
Norwegian armed forces in exile The Norwegian armed forces in exile () were remnants of the armed forces of Norway that continued to fight the Axis powers from Allied countries, such as Britain and Canada, after they had escaped the German conquest of Norway during World War I ...
in Britain largely consisted of a
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
in Dumfries. Dumfries is nicknamed ''Queen of the South''. This is also the name of the town's
football club In association football, a football club (or association football club, alternatively soccer club) is a sports club that acts as an entity through which association football teams organise their sporting activities. The club can exist either as ...
. People from Dumfries are known colloquially in Scots language as ''Doonhamers''.


Toponymy

There are a number of theories on the etymology of the name, with an ultimately
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...
derivation (either from Brythonic,
Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...
or a mixture of both) considered the most likely. The first element is derived either from the elements ''drum'' or ''dronn-'', (meaning "ridge" or "hump", also in
Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...
as ''druim''), or from ''Dùn'' meaning fort. One of the more commonly given etymologies is that the name ''Dumfries'' originates from the
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
name ''Dùn Phris'', meaning "Fort of the Thicket". The second element is less obvious, but may be cognate with the
Cumbric Cumbric is an extinct Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup spoken during the Early Middle Ages in the ''Hen Ogledd'' or "Old North", in Northern England and the southern Scottish Lowlands. It was closely related to Old Welsh and the ot ...
''prēs'', an element common in the Brythonic areas south of the River Forth. As such, Dumfries has been suggested as a possible location of ''Penprys'', the mysterious capital of a land in
Medieval Welsh literature Medieval Welsh literature is the literature written in the Welsh language during the Middle Ages. This includes material starting from the 5th century AD, when Welsh was in the process of becoming distinct from Common Brittonic, and continuing t ...
, most notably mentioned in the
awdl In Welsh poetry, an ''awdl'' () is a long poem in strict metre (i.e. ''cynghanedd''). Originally, an ''awdl'' could be a relatively short poem unified by its use of a single end-rhyme (the word is related to ''odl'', "rhyme"), using cynghanedd; ...
, "''Elegy for Gwallawg''" by
Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Britons (Celtic people), Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to ...
. According to a third theory, the name is a corruption of two
Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
or
Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was 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 ...
words which mean "the Friars' Hill"; those who favour this idea allege the formation of a religious house near the head of what is now the Friars' Vennel. If the name were English or Norse, however, the expected form would have the elements in reversed orientation (compare Clarendon). A Celtic derivation is therefore preferred. A final theory connects the name with the Anglo-Saxon settlement of England during the fifth century with a meaning of "fortress of the Frisians". This etymology has long been considered unlikely. In 1915
James King Hewison James King Hewison was a church of Scotland minister and author. Early life James King Hewison was born in Morton Schoolhouse, Dumfriesshire, on 2 August 1853. He was the son of Alexander Louttit Hewison, F.E.I.S., and Elizabeth King. He was edu ...
wrote "Of a Frisian settlement in Dumfries, which is supposed by some to mean "the fort of the Frisians", there is no trace, and no record."


History


Early history

There is no definite record about the time and manner of Dumfries's founding. Some writers hold that Dumfries flourished as a place of distinction during the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
occupation of North Great Britain. The
Selgovae The Selgovae (Common Brittonic: *''Selgowī'') were a Celtic tribe of the late 2nd century AD who lived in what is now Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire, on the southern coast of Scotland. They are mentioned briefly in Ptolemy's ''Geography'' ...
inhabited
Nithsdale Nithsdale (), also known as Strathnith, Stranith or Stranit, is the strath or dale (landform), dale of the River Nith in southern Scotland. Nithsdale was one of the medieval provinces of Scotland. The provinces gradually lost their administrat ...
at the time and may have raised some military works of a defensive nature on or near the site of Dumfries; and it is more than probable that a castle of some kind formed the nucleus of the town. This is inferred from the etymology of the name, which, according to one theory, is resolvable into two
Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...
terms signifying a castle or fort in the
copse Coppicing is the traditional method in woodland management of cutting down a tree to a tree stump, stump, which in many species encourages new Shoot (botany), shoots to grow from the stump or roots, thus ultimately regrowing the tree. A forest ...
or brushwood. Dumfries was once within the borders of the Kingdom of Northumbria. The district around Dumfries was for several centuries ruled over and deemed of much importance by the invading Romans. Many traces of Roman presence in Dumfriesshire are still to be found; coins, weapons, sepulchral remains, military earthworks, and roads being among the relics left by their lengthened sojourn in this part of Scotland. The Caledonian tribes in the south of Scotland were invested with the same rights by an edict of
Antoninus Pius Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius (; ; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from AD 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a senatorial family, Antoninus held var ...
. The Romanized natives received freedom (the burrows, cairns, and remains of stone temples still to be seen in the district tell of a time when
Druidism A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no writ ...
was the prevailing religion) as well as civilisation from their conquerors. Late in the fourth century, the Romans bade farewell to the country. According to another theory, the name is a corruption of two words which mean the Friars' Hill; those who favour this idea allege that St. Ninian, by planting a religious house near the head of what is now the Friars' Vennel, at the close of the fourth century, became the virtual founder of the Burgh; however Ninian, so far as is known, did not originate any monastic establishments anywhere and was simply a missionary. In the list of British towns given by the ancient historian
Nennius Nennius – or Nemnius or Nemnivus – was a Welsh monk of the 9th century. He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the ''Historia Brittonum'', based on the prologue affixed to that work. This attribution is widely considered ...
, the name ''Caer Peris'' occurs, which some modern antiquarians suppose to have been transmuted, by a change of dialect, into Dumfries. Twelve of
King Arthur According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...
's battles were recorded by
Nennius Nennius – or Nemnius or Nemnivus – was a Welsh monk of the 9th century. He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the ''Historia Brittonum'', based on the prologue affixed to that work. This attribution is widely considered ...
in ''
Historia Brittonum ''The History of the Britons'' () is a purported history of early Britain written around 828 that survives in numerous recensions from after the 11th century. The ''Historia Brittonum'' is commonly attributed to Nennius, as some recensions ha ...
''. The Battle of Tribruit (the tenth battle), has been suggested as having possibly been near Dumfries or near the mouth of the river Avon near
Bo'ness Borrowstounness, commonly known as Bo'ness ( ), is a town and former burgh and seaport on the south bank of the Firth of Forth in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Counties of Scotland, Historically part of the county of West Lothian (historic), ...
. After the Roman departure the area around Dumfries had various forms of visit by
Picts The Picts were a group of peoples in what is now Scotland north of the Firth of Forth, in the Scotland in the early Middle Ages, Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and details of their culture can be gleaned from early medieval texts and Pic ...
,
Anglo-Saxons The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...
, Scots and Norse culminating in a decisive victory for Gregory, King of Scots at what is now
Lochmaben Lochmaben () is a small town and civil parish in Scotland, and site of a castle. It lies west of Lockerbie, in Dumfries and Galloway. By the 12th century the Bruce family had become the local landowners and, in the 14th century, Edward I of Engl ...
over the native
Britons British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, w ...
in 890.


Medieval period

When, in 1069,
Malcolm Canmore Malcolm III (; ; –13 November 1093) was King of Alba from 1058 to 1093. He was later nicknamed "Canmore" (, , understood as "great chief"). Malcolm's long reign of 35 years preceded the beginning of the Scoto-Norman age. Henry I of England ...
and
William the Conqueror William the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...
held a conference regarding the claims of
Edgar Ætheling Edgar Ætheling or Edgar II ( – 1125 or after) was the last male member of the royal house of Cerdic of Wessex. He was elected King of England by the Witan in 1066 but never crowned. Family and early life Edgar was probably born in Hu ...
to the English Crown, they met at Abernithi – a term which in the old British tongue means a port at the mouth of the Nith. Abernithi may have been Dumfries; and therefore it may have existed as a port in the Kingdom of Strathclyde, if not in the Roman days. However, against this argument is that the town is situated distant from the sea, although the
River Nith The River Nith (; Common Brittonic: ''Nowios'') is a river in south-west Scotland. The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, east of Dalmellington. For the majority of its course it flows ...
is tidal and navigable all the way into the town itself. Although at the time upstream and on the opposite bank of the Nith from Dumfries,
Lincluden Abbey Lincluden Collegiate Church, known earlier as Lincluden Priory or Lincluden Abbey (the name by which it is still known locally), is a ruined religious house, situated in the historic county of Dumfries to the north of the Royal Burgh of Dumfr ...
was founded circa 1160. The abbey ruins are on the site of the bailey of the very early Lincluden Castle, as are those of the later Lincluden Tower. This religious house was used for various purposes, until its abandonment around 1700. Lincluden Abbey and its grounds are now within the Dumfries urban conurbation boundary.
William the Lion William the Lion (), sometimes styled William I (; ) and also known by the nickname ; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Alba from 1165 to 1214. His almost 49 ...
granted the charter to raise Dumfries to the rank of a
royal burgh A royal burgh ( ) was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs. Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in 1186. Dumfries was very much on the frontier during its first 50 years as a burgh and it grew rapidly as a market town and port. Alexander III visited Dumfries in 1264 to plan an expedition against the
Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...
, previously Scots but for 180 years subjected by the crown of Norway. Identified with the conquest of Man, Dumfries shared in the well-being of Scotland for the next 22 years until Alexander's accidental death brought an Augustan era in the town's history to an abrupt finish. A royal castle, which no longer exists, was built in the 13th century on the site of the present Castledykes Park. In the latter part of the century
William Wallace Sir William Wallace (, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of St ...
chased a fleeing English force southward through the Nith valley. The force made it to the gates of
Dumfries Castle Dumfries Castle was a royal castle that was located in Dumfries, Scotland. It was sited by the River Nith, in the area now known as Castledykes Park. A motte and bailey castle was built in the 12th century. The town was created a royal burgh by ...
which was closed to them. With a body of the town's people joining Wallace and his fellow pursuers when they arrived, the English force was annihilated at Cockpool on the
Solway Coast The Solway Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in northern Cumbria, England. It incorporates two areas of coastline along the Solway Firth, the first running from just north of the city of Carlisle, at the estuary of the riv ...
. After resting at
Caerlaverock Castle Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold of t ...
a few miles away from the bloodletting, Wallace again passed through Dumfries the day after as he returned north to
Sanquhar Castle Sanquhar Castle, now a ruin, was built in the 13th century; the ruins are situated north east of Dumfries overlooking the River Nith. Situated on the southern approach to the former royal burgh of Sanquhar in Dumfries and Galloway, south west Sco ...
. During the invasion of 1300,
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 â€“ 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...
lodged for a few days in June with the Minorite Friars of the Vennel, before he laid siege to Caerlaverock Castle at the head of the then greatest invasion force to attack Scotland. After Caerlaverock eventually succumbed, Edward passed through Dumfries again as he crossed the Nith to take his invasion into
Galloway Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...
. With the Scottish nobility having requested
Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
support for their cause, Edward on his return to Caerlaverock was presented with a missive directed to him by
Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII (; born Benedetto Caetani; – 11 October 1303) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 until his death in 1303. The Caetani, Caetani family was of baronial origin with connections t ...
. Edward held court in Dumfries at which he grudgingly agreed to an armistice. On 30 October, the truce solicited by Pope Boniface was signed by Edward at Dumfries. Letters from Edward, dated at Dumfries, were sent to his subordinates throughout Scotland, ordering them to give effect to the treaty. The peace was to last until Whitsunday in the following year. Before becoming
King of Scots The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the British cons ...
,
Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
stabbed his rival the Red Comyn at Greyfriars Kirk in the town on 10 February 1306. Bruce's uncertainty about the fatality of the stabbing caused one of his followers,
Roger de Kirkpatrick Sir Roger de Kirkpatrick of Closeburn (fl. 14th century) was a Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish gentry, gentleman, a 3rd cousin and associate of Robert the Bruce, a 1st cousin of Sir William Wallace and a distant relative of Nicole Clark. He was born ...
, to utter the famous, "I mak siccar" ("I make sure") and finish the Comyn off. Bruce was subsequently excommunicated as a result, less for the murder than for its location in a church. Regardless, for Bruce the die was cast at the moment in Greyfriars and so began his campaign by force for the independence of Scotland. Swords were drawn by supporters of both sides, the burial ground of the monastery becoming the theatre of battle. Bruce and his party then attacked Dumfries Castle. The English garrison surrendered and for the third time in the day Bruce and his supporters were victorious. He was crowned King of Scots barely seven weeks after. Bruce later triumphed at the
Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( or ) was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It was a decisive victory for Ro ...
, which confirmed Scotland's independence in the conflict. Once Edward received word of the revolution that had started in Dumfries, he again raised an army and invaded Scotland. Dumfries was again subjected to the control of Bruce's enemies. Sir
Christopher Seton Sir Christopher Seton (1278–1306), also known as Christopher de Seton, was a 13th-century noble, who held lands in England and Scotland. He was a supporter of Robert the Bruce and obtained Robert's sister's hand in marriage. Present durin ...
(Bruce's brother in law) had been captured at
Loch Doon Loch Doon (, ) is a freshwater loch in Carrick, Scotland. It is considered relatively oligotrophic. The River Doon issues from its northern end, while the loch itself receives waters from Gala Lane and Loch Enoch (in the Galloway Hills) via Eg ...
and was hurried to Dumfries to be tried for treason in general and more specifically for being present at Comyn's killing. Still in 1306 and along with two companions, Seton was condemned and executed by
hanging Hanging is killing a person by suspending them from the neck with a noose or ligature strangulation, ligature. Hanging has been a standard method of capital punishment since the Middle Ages, and has been the primary execution method in numerou ...
and then
beheading Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common ...
at the site of what is now St Mary's Church. In 1659 ten women were accused of diverse acts of witchcraft by Dumfries Kirk Session although the Kirk Session minutes itself records nine witches. The Justiciary Court found them guilty of the several articles of witchcraft and on 13 April between 2 pm and 4 pm they were taken to the Whitesands, strangled at stakes and their bodies burnt to ashes.


Eighteenth century

The Midsteeple in the centre of the High Street was completed in 1707. Opposite the fountain in the High Street, adjacent to the present
Marks & Spencer Marks and Spencer plc (commonly abbreviated to M&S and colloquially known as Marks & Sparks or simply Marks) is a major British multinational retailer based in London, England, that specialises in selling clothing, beauty products, home produc ...
, was the Commercial and later the County Hotel. Although the latter was demolished in 1984–85, the original facade of the building was retained and incorporated into new retail premises. The building now houses a Waterstones Bookshop. Room No. 6 of the hotel was known as
Bonnie Prince Charlie Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...
's Room and appropriately carpeted in the
Royal Stewart tartan The Royal Stewart or Royal Stuart tartan is the best-known tartan retrospectively associated with the royal House of Stewart. It is also the personal tartan of the British monarch; the present monarch is King Charles III. The sett was first pu ...
. The timber panelling of "Prince Charlie's room" was largely reinstated and painted complete with the oil painted landscapes by Robert Norie (1720–1766) in the overmantels at either end of the room and can still be seen as the upstairs showroom of the book shop. The
Young Pretender Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...
had his headquarters here during a 3-day sojourn in Dumfries towards the end of 1745. £2,000 was demanded by the Prince, together with 1,000 pairs of brogues for his kilted Jacobite rebel army, which was camping in a field not one hundred yards distant. A rumour that the
Duke of Cumberland Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British royal family, named after the historic county of Cumberland. History The Earldom of Cumberland, created in 1525, became extinct in 1643. The dukedom w ...
was approaching, made Bonnie Prince Charlie decide to leave with his army, with only £1,000 and 255 pairs of shoes having been handed over.
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...
moved to Dumfriesshire in 1788 and Dumfries itself in 1791, living there until his death on 21 July 1796. Today's Greyfriars Church overlooks the location of a statue of Burns, which was designed by
Amelia Robertson Hill Amelia Robertson Hill (15 January 1821 – 5 July 1904), birth record Emmilia McDermaid Paton, was a prominent Scottish artist and sculptor throughout the 19th century and one of the few with public commissions. Her most noteworthy works are th ...
, sculpted in
Carrara Carrara ( ; ; , ) is a town and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey Carrara marble, marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some Boxing the compass, ...
, Italy in 1882, and was unveiled by future
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
,
Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, 1st Earl of Midlothian (7 May 1847 – 21 May 1929) was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from March 1894 to June 1895. Between the death of h ...
on 6 April 1882. Today, it features on the 2007 series of £5 notes issued by the Bank of Scotland, alongside the
Brig o' Doon The Brig o' Doon, sometimes called the Auld Brig or Old Bridge of Doon, is a late medieval bridge in Ayrshire, Scotland, and a Category A structure. History The word ''brig'' is Scots for "bridge", hence the ''Brig o' Doon'' is the "Bridge ...
. After working with
Patrick Miller of Dalswinton Patrick Miller of Dalswinton (1731–1815) was a Scottish banker and inventor who served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Scotland. He engineered the ship '' Experiment of Leith'' for the Swedish Navy, and was involved in a boat project with Wi ...
, inventor
William Symington William Symington (1764–1831) was a Scottish engineer and inventor during the Georgian era. He is most well known as the builder of the first practical steamboat, the Charlotte Dundas. The engine has been described as ''"without doubt the mo ...
intended to carry out a trial in order to show than an engine would work on a boat without the boat catching fire. The trial finally took place on Dalswinton Loch near Dumfries on 14 October 1788. The experiment demonstrated that a steam engine would work on a boat. Symington went on to become the builder of the first practical
steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...
.


20th century and beyond

The first official intimation that RAF Dumfries was to be built was made in late 1938. The site chosen had accommodated light aircraft since about 1914. Work progressed quickly, and on 17 June 1940, the 18 Maintenance Unit was opened at Dumfries. The role of the base during the war also encompassed training. RAF Dumfries had a moment of danger on 25 March 1943, when a German
Dornier Do 217 The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by the German ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II. It was a more powerful development of the Dornier Do 17, known as the ''Fliegender Bleistift'' (German: "flying pencil"). Designed in 1937-38 as a heavy bomber ...
aircraft shot up the airfield beacon, but crashed shortly afterwards. The pilot,
Oberleutnant (English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...
Martin Piscke was later interred in
Troqueer Troqueer is a former village and a parish in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway on the west side of the River Nith. The eastern-side was merged with Dumfries to the east in 1929, and today eastern Troqueer is a sub ...
Cemetery in Dumfries town, with full military honours. On the night of 3/4 August 1943 a
Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington (nicknamed the Wimpy) is a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of t ...
bomber with engine problems diverted to but crashed short of the Dumfries runway. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the bulk of the
Norwegian armed forces in exile The Norwegian armed forces in exile () were remnants of the armed forces of Norway that continued to fight the Axis powers from Allied countries, such as Britain and Canada, after they had escaped the German conquest of Norway during World War I ...
in Britain consisted of a
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
in Dumfries. When the army High Command took over, there were 70 officers and about 760 privates in the camp. The camp was established in June 1940 and named ''Norwegian Reception Camp'', consisting of some 500 men and women, mainly foreign-Norwegian who had volunteered for war duty in Norway during the
Nazi occupation German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...
in early 1940. Through the summer the number was built up to around 1,500 under the command of
General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
Carl Gustav Fleischer Carl Gustav Fleischer (28 December 1883 – 19 December 1942Fleischer 1947, p. 216) was a Norwegian general and the first land commander to win a major victory against the Germans in the Second World War. Having followed the Norwegian governm ...
. Within a few miles of Dumfries are the villages of Tinwald, Torthorwald and Mouswald all of which were settled by
Vikings Vikings were 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 settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
. Dumfries has experienced two
Boxing Day Boxing Day, also called as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part ...
earthquakes. These were in 1979 (measuring 4.7 centred near Longtown) and 2006 (centred in the Dumfries locality measuring 3.6 ). There were no serious consequences of either. There was also an earthquake on 16 February 1984 and a further earthquake on 7 June 2010.


Demography


Population

The National Records for Scotland mid 2012 estimated population of Dumfries was reported as 33,280."Mid-2012 Populations Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland, table 3a" National Records for Scotland, access-date = 27 October 2014
/ref>


Religion

The 2022 Scottish census revealed that 57% of the towns population identifies as having 'no religion', slightly higher than the Scotland wide figure of 51%. 35% identified as Christian (24%
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
, 8%
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and 4% other Christian) while 2% identified with another religion. 5% didn't answer question in the census as it was optional. A number of the local and chapels are notable architectural landmarks. St Michael's Church, built between 1761 and 1746, on the site of earlier places of worship dating back to the 12th century. The church has a number of connections to the poet
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...
, and he was initially buried in its churchyard. In 1815, his remains were moved to a grand mausoleum in the south-east corner of the churchyard, where his wife
Jean Armour Jean Armour (25 February 1765 – 26 March 1834), also known as the "Belle of Mauchline", was the wife of the poet Robert Burns. She inspired many of his poems and bore him nine children, three of whom survived into adulthood. Biography Born in ...
and several family members are also interred. Greyfriars Church constructed between 1866 and 1867 in the Gothic style, stands on a site that was once partly occupied by a Franciscan monastery and partly by the town's old castle. St Mary's Church, another Gothic edifice built between 1837 and 1839, was erected on the location of a small chapel dedicated by
Christina Bruce Christian or Christina Bruce (c. 1278 – 1356/1357), also known as Christian or Christina de Brus, was a daughter of Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, and her husband, Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale, Robert de Brus, ''jure uxoris'' Earl of ...
, to her husband
Christopher Seton Sir Christopher Seton (1278–1306), also known as Christopher de Seton, was a 13th-century noble, who held lands in England and Scotland. He was a supporter of Robert the Bruce and obtained Robert's sister's hand in marriage. Present durin ...
, who was executed there by
Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 â€“ 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 125 ...
. It was put up for sale in 2024 by the
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
for £38,000. St Andrew's Church, built from 1811 to 1813 in the Romanesque style, serves as a Roman Catholic church and the pro-cathedral of the Diocese of Galloway. In 1851, Samuel Lewis described additional places of worship, noting the construction of an Episcopal chapel in 1817 at the cost of £2200. He also mentioned the presence of Free Church, United Presbyterian Church, Reformed Presbyterian, Independent, and Wesleyan chapels, as well as a Roman Catholic chapel.


Education

Dumfries has several primary schools, approximately one per key district, and four main secondary schools. All of these institutions are governed by
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...
council. The secondary schools are
Dumfries Academy Dumfries Academy is one of four secondary schools in Dumfries in south west Scotland. It is a state funded secondary school for both girls and boys. The schools moto is "doctrina promovet" which translates from Latin to "learning promotes" which ...
,
Maxwelltown High School Maxwelltown High School was a state funded, six-year comprehensive secondary school in the Lochside area of Dumfries, Scotland. Founded in 1971, Maxwelltown High School was the most recently founded secondary school in Dumfries and Galloway, befo ...
, St Joseph's College and Dumfries High School. Dumfries Academy was a
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
until adopting a comprehensive format in 1983. In 2013 plans for a 'super school' were announced. These plans were later dismissed in favour of renovating existing schools. In 1999 Scotland's first multi-institutional university campus was established in Dumfries, in the Crichton estate. In order of campus presence it is host to the
University of the West of Scotland The University of the West of Scotland (), formerly the University of Paisley, is a public university with four campuses in south-western Scotland, in the towns of Paisley, Blantyre, Dumfries and Ayr, as well as a campus in London, England. T ...
(UWS) (formerly known as University of Paisley & Bell College), Dumfries & Galloway College, and the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
. Still in its infancy, the campus offers a range of degree courses in initial teacher education, business, computing, environmental studies, tourism, heritage, social work, health, social studies, nursing, liberal arts and humanities. Despite the short-lived threat of closure to the University of Glasgow part of the campus in 2006, a campaign by students, academics and local supporters ensured that the University of Glasgow remained open in Dumfries. The University of Glasgow, since maintaining its provision in Dumfries, has launched a new undergraduate programme in primary teaching.


Healthcare

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary is the main hospital in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The hospital is managed by NHS Dumfries and Galloway. History The hospital has its origins in a small facility at Mill Hole in Burns Street in cent ...
is the principal secondary care referral centre for Dumfries and Galloway region. It now includes a maternity wing which replaced the old Cresswell Maternity Hospital. Midpark Hospital, close to the site of the former Crichton Royal Hospital, is part of the Dumfries and Galloway NHS Board and provides a regional psychiatric, psychological and specialist addictions service within Dumfries and Galloway. In 1838 William A. F. Browne accepted the position of Physician Superintendent at the newly created Crichton. It is at the Crichton where Ursula Fleming gained much of her education and experience.


Geography and climate


Locality

Like the rest of Dumfries and Galloway, of Scotland's three major geographical areas Dumfries lies in the
Southern Uplands The Southern Uplands () are the southernmost and least populous of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas (the others being the Central Lowlands and the Highlands). The term is used both to describe the geographical region and to col ...
. The river Nith runs through Dumfries toward the Solway Firth in a southwards direction splitting the town into East and West. At low tide, the sea recedes to such an extent on the shallow sloping sands of the Solway that the length of the Nith is extended by 13 km to . This makes the Nith Scotland's seventh longest river. There are several bridges across the river within the town. In between the Devorgilla Bridge (also known as 'The Old Bridge') and the suspension bridge is a
weir A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...
colloquially known as 'The Caul'. In wetter months of the year the Nith can flood the surrounding streets. The Whitesands has flooded on average once a year since 1827. Dumfries has numerous suburbs including Summerhill, Summerville, Troqueer, Georgetown, Cresswell, Larchfield, Calside, Lochside, Lincluden, Newbridge Drive, Sandside, Heathhall, Locharbriggs, Noblehill and Marchmount.
Maxwelltown Maxwelltown (, IPA: ˆkʰʲaun̴̪ˈt̪ɾɔxÉ™tʲ was formerly a burgh of barony and police burgh and by the time of the burgh's abolition in 1929 it was the most populous burgh in the county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. In 1929 Maxwellto ...
to the west of the river Nith, was formerly a burgh in its own right within
Kirkcudbrightshire Kirkcudbrightshire ( ) or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is one of the Counties of Scotland, historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Kirkcudbrightshire was an ...
until its incorporation into Dumfries in 1929; Summerhill, Troqueer, Lochside, Lincluden, Sandside are among other suburbs located on the Maxwelltown side of the river.
Palmerston Park Palmerston Park is a association football, football stadium on Terregles Street in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is the home ground of Scottish League One club Queen of the South F.C., Queen of the South, who have played there ...
, home to the town's senior football team Queen of the South, is on Terregles Street, also on the Maxwelltown side of the river. Queensberry Square and High Street are the central focal points of the town and this area hosts many of the historical, social and commercial enterprises and events of Dumfries. During the 1990s, these areas enjoyed various aesthetic recognitions from organisations including
Britain in Bloom RHS Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France (now Conseil national de villes et villages ...
.


Weather and climate trends

As with the rest of the
British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...
, Dumfries experiences a
maritime climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring ...
(
Cfb CFB may refer to: *College football, in the United States *Canadian Forces base, military installation of the Canadian forces * Caminho de Ferro de Benguela, railway in Angola *Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District *Cipher feedback, ...
) with cool summers and mild winters. It is one of the less snowy locations in Scotland owing to its sheltered, low lying position in the South West of the country. From 2 July 1908 the town held the record for the highest temperature reading in Scotland, until being surpassed in
Greycrook Greycrook is a village off the A68 and the A699 in the Scottish Borders, approximately south-east of St Boswells, and close to Dryburgh, Dryburgh Abbey, Maxton, Newtown St Boswells, and the River Tweed. It was here that the highest tempe ...
on 9 August 2003. Its southerly latitude makes little difference to the average annual temperatures compared to more northerly coastal parts of Scotland. This is due to strong maritime influence from the
Irish Sea The Irish Sea is a body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel and to the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland in the north by the North Ch ...
cooling down summers due to frequent cloudy weather and cool water temperatures. There are plenty of higher areas to Dumfries' west, but even so those seldom allow warm air to stay untouched.


Governance and politics


Royal Burgh status (1186)

Scottish communities granted
Royal Burgh A royal burgh ( ) was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs. Most royal burghs were either created by ...
status by the monarch guarded the honour jealously and with vigour. Riding the Marches maintains the tradition of an occasion that was, in its day, of great importance. Dumfries has been a Royal Burgh since 1186, its charter being granted by King William the Lion in a move that ensured the loyalty of its citizens to the Monarch. Although far from the centre of power in Scotland, Dumfries had obvious strategic significance sitting as it does on the edge of Galloway and being the centre of control for the south west of Scotland. With the River Nith on two sides and the Lochar Moss on another, Dumfries was a town with good natural defences. Consequently, it was never completely walled. A careful eye still had to be kept on the clearly defined boundaries of the burgh, a task that had to be taken each year by the Provost, Baillies, Burgesses and others within the town. Neighbouring landowners might try to encroach on the town boundaries, or the Marches as they were known, moving them back 100 yards or so to their own benefit. It had to be made clear to anyone thinking of or trying to encroach that they dare not do so. In return for the Royal status of the town and the favour of the King, the Provost and his council, along with other worthies of the town had to be diligent in ensuring the boundaries were strictly observed. Although steeped in history, Scotland's burghs remained the foundation of the country's system of local government for centuries. Burgh status conferred on its citizens the right to elect their own town councils, run their own affairs and raise their own local taxes or rates. Dumfries also became the administrative centre for the
shire Shire () is a traditional term for an administrative division of land in Great Britain and some other English-speaking countries. It is generally synonymous with county (such as Cheshire and Worcestershire). British counties are among the oldes ...
of Dumfries, or
Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...
, which was probably created in the twelfth century and certainly existed by 1305. When elected county councils were created in 1890 under the
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 ( 52 & 53 Vict. c. 50) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. The main effect of the act was to establish elected county councils in Scotland. In this it fol ...
, the burgh of Dumfries was deemed capable of running its own affairs and so was excluded from the jurisdiction of the county council.


Political expansion

The burgh of Dumfries was enlarged in 1929 to take in
Maxwelltown Maxwelltown (, IPA: ˆkʰʲaun̴̪ˈt̪ɾɔxÉ™tʲ was formerly a burgh of barony and police burgh and by the time of the burgh's abolition in 1929 it was the most populous burgh in the county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. In 1929 Maxwellto ...
on the west bank of the Nith, which had previously been a separate burgh in
Kirkcudbrightshire Kirkcudbrightshire ( ) or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is one of the Counties of Scotland, historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Kirkcudbrightshire was an ...
. Further local government reform in 1930 brought the burgh of Dumfries within the area controlled by Dumfriesshire County Council, but classed as a
large burgh Large burgh was a type of municipal structure in Scotland, which existed from 1930 to 1975. History When county councils had been established in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, there were 26 burghs which were excluded from ...
which allowed the town to continue to run many local services itself. The town council was based at Municipal Buildings in Buccleuch Street, built in 1932 on the site of an earlier council building. In 1975 local government across Scotland was reformed under the
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) is an Act of Parliament (UK), act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered local government of Scotland, local government in Scotland on 16 May 1975. The act followed and largely impleme ...
. The burghs and counties were abolished as administrative areas, replaced with a two-tier system of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Dumfries therefore became part of the
Nithsdale Nithsdale (), also known as Strathnith, Stranith or Stranit, is the strath or dale (landform), dale of the River Nith in southern Scotland. Nithsdale was one of the medieval provinces of Scotland. The provinces gradually lost their administrat ...
district in the region of
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...
. Nithsdale District Council took over the Municipal Buildings. Ancient titles associated with Dumfries' history as a royal burgh like
provost Provost may refer to: Officials Ecclesiastic * Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official * Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official Government * Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...
and
bailie A bailie or baillie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where bailies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate (see bailiff). Baillies appointed the high constables ...
were discarded or retained only for ceremonial purposes. Robes and chains often found their way into museums as a reminder of the past. Further local government reform in 1996 abolished Nithsdale district, since when Dumfries has been governed by Dumfries and Galloway Council, which has its headquarters in the town at County Buildings, which had been built in 1914 as the headquarters of Dumfriesshire County Council. Dumfries remains a centre of local government for a much bigger area than just the town itself. But its people, the Doonhamers still retain a pride in their town and distinctive identity. This is never more so than during the week-long Guid Nychburris Festival and its highlight the Riding of the Marches which takes place on the third Saturday in June each year.


Political representation

Dumfries is located in the
council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Ac ...
of
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...
. It is the seat of the local council, whose headquarters are located on the edge of the town centre. Until 1995 Dumfries was also home to the council for the local district of
Nithsdale Nithsdale (), also known as Strathnith, Stranith or Stranit, is the strath or dale (landform), dale of the River Nith in southern Scotland. Nithsdale was one of the medieval provinces of Scotland. The provinces gradually lost their administrat ...
. Dumfries also lends its name to the
lieutenancy area Lieutenancy areas (), officially counties and areas for the purposes of the lieutenancies, are the separate areas of the United Kingdom that are appointed to a lord-lieutenant – a representative of the British monarch. In many cases they have s ...
of Dumfries, which is similar in boundaries to the former
Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...
county. On the Dumfries and Galloway Council, Dumfries is covered by four 4-seat wards: Abbey, Lochar, Nith and North West Dumfries. North West Dumfries is the only ward that solely covers areas within the town itself, with the others incorporating outlying areas. In the 2017 council election, these wards elected 6 Labour, 5
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
and 4 SNP councillors. Dumfries is split into two UK Parliament constituencies:
Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...
which is represented by John Cooper and Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale which is represented by
David Mundell David Gordon Mundell, (born 27 May 1962) is a Scottish Conservative Party politician and solicitor who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale since 2005. He previously served as Secretary of Stat ...
, both of the
Scottish Conservative Party The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party (), known as Scottish Tories, is part of the UK Conservative Party active in Scotland. It currently holds 5 of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons, 30 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Par ...
. For Scottish Parliament elections, Dumfries is in the South Scotland electoral region and split between two constituencies. The western wards of Abbey and North West Dumfries are in the constituency of
Galloway and West Dumfries Galloway and West Dumfries ( Gaelic: ''Gall-Ghaidhealaibh agus Dùn Phrìs an Iar'') is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) covering part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parli ...
, while the eastern wards of Nith and Lochar are in the constituency of
Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...
. The respective MSPs are
Finlay Carson Finlay Hamilton Carson (born 18 October 1967) is a Scottish Conservative Party politician serving as Convener of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee since 2021. He has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) f ...
and
Oliver Mundell Oliver Gordon Watson Mundell (born 1 December 1989) is a Scottish politician of the Scottish Conservative Party. He has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Dumfriesshire (Scottish Parliament constituency), Dumfriesshire co ...
, both of the
Scottish Conservative Party The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party (), known as Scottish Tories, is part of the UK Conservative Party active in Scotland. It currently holds 5 of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons, 30 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Par ...
. In the
2014 Scottish independence referendum A independence referendum, referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in Scotland on 18 September 2014. The referendum question was "Should Scotland be an independent country?", which voters answered with "Yes" or ...
, Dumfries and Galloway had the country's third heaviest 'No' vote at more than 65% of the ballots cast. That was more than 10 points higher than the national average pro-union vote.


Economy

Dumfries has a long history as a
county town In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...
, and as the
market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...
of a surrounding rural hinterland. The North British Rubber Company started manufacturing in 1946 at Heathhall on the former site of the
Arrol-Johnston Arrol-Johnston (later known as Arrol-Aster) was an early Scottish manufacturer of automobiles, which operated from 1895 to 1931 and produced the first automobile manufactured in Britain. The company also developed the world's first "off-road" ve ...
Motor Company which was said to be the most advanced light engineering factory of its day in Scotland. It became
Uniroyal Uniroyal, formerly known as the United States Rubber Company, is an American manufacturer of tires and other synthetic rubber-related products, as well as variety of items for military use, such as ammunition, explosives, chemical weapons and op ...
Ltd in the 1960s and was where the Hunter Boot and Powergrip engine timing belts were manufactured. In 1987 it changed name to the British subsidiary of the
Gates Rubber Company Gates is the plural of gate, a point of entry to a space which is enclosed by walls. It may also refer to: People * Gates (surname), various people with the last name * Gates Brown (1939-2013), American Major League Baseball player * Gates McFa ...
and later was known as Interfloor from 2002 until the factory closed in 2013. Dumfries is a relatively prosperous community but the town centre has been exposed to the centrifugal forces that have seen retail, business, educational, residential and other uses gravitate towards the town's urban fringe. This was started in the 1980s with the building of the Dumfries bypass. The immediate effect of this was as intended the diversion of transiting traffic away from the town centre. This brought with it an accompanying reduction in economic input to the town centre. The second effect of this has been more pronounced. Sites close to the bypass have attracted development to utilise the bypass as a high speed urban highway without the bottlenecks of the town centre and without the constraining limited town centre parking. In a bid to re-stimulate development in Dumfries town centre, both economically and in a social context, several strategies have been proposed by the controlling authorities. As the largest settlement in Southern Scotland, Dumfries is recognised as a centre for visiting surrounding points of interest. The following are all within easy reach: * Ae village and
forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...
*
Caerlaverock Castle Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold of t ...
*
Criffel Criffel is a hill in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. It is high but appears higher because of its great isolation and high prominence. It is a prominent feature in many of the views fro ...
– a hill on the Solway Coast popular with hill walkers for its views of the Southern Scottish coastline and across the
Solway Firth The Solway Firth is an inlet on the west coast of Great Britain, forming part of the border between England and Scotland. The firth (a Scottish term for an inlet of the sea) divides Cumbria (including the Solway Plain) from Dumfries and Gallow ...
to the
Lake District The Lake District, also known as ''the Lakes'' or ''Lakeland'', is a mountainous region and National parks of the United Kingdom, national park in Cumbria, North West England. It is famous for its landscape, including its lakes, coast, and mou ...
of
Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancash ...
*
Drumlanrig Castle Drumlanrig Castle is situated on the Queensberry Estate in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The category A listed castle is the Dumfriesshire home of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. As of September 2023, the castle itself is open to t ...
*
Ecclefechan Ecclefechan (Scottish Gaelic: ''Eaglais Fheichein'') is a village located in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland. The village is famous for being the birthplace of Thomas Carlyle. Ecclefechan lies in the valley of the Mein Water, a ...
–
Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher. Known as the "Sage writing, sage of Chelsea, London, Chelsea", his writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the V ...
's birthplace "The Arched House" is a tourist attraction and has been maintained by the National Trust for Scotland since 1936. Ecclefechan lies at the foot of the large Ancient Rome, Roman Fort, Burnswark, which dominates the horizon with its flat top. * Glencaple Quay - Old harbour, restaurant, shop and views of the River Nith. * Gretna Green and the Old Blacksmith's Shop famous for elopement, runaway marriages. * John Paul Jones Cottage Museum – The traditional Scottish cottage in which John Paul Jones was born in 1747. * Kingholm Quay - 18th century harbour, on the east side of the River Nith, that once served the town. * Laghall Quay - 18th century harbour, on the west side of the River Nith, A pleasant walk to the site and views of the Nith and Kingholm Quay. * Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre was the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to have been established in the West. It is a centre within the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It is in the village of Eskdalemuir in the Scottish Southern Uplands *
Lochmaben Lochmaben () is a small town and civil parish in Scotland, and site of a castle. It lies west of Lockerbie, in Dumfries and Galloway. By the 12th century the Bruce family had become the local landowners and, in the 14th century, Edward I of Engl ...
with its lochs popular with boaters and also its history with Robert the Bruce * Mabie, Dumfries and Galloway, Mabie Forest – popular destinations for outdoor recreation such as mountain bike and walking * Moffat and the views nearby of The Devil's Beef Tub, The Grey Mare's Tail, Moffat Hills, Grey Mare's Tail waterfall and the A708 road, A708 from Moffat past the Grey Mare's Tail to St Mary's Loch. * Moniaive conservation village * New Abbey Corn Mill Museum and Sweetheart Abbey *
Solway Coast The Solway Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in northern Cumbria, England. It incorporates two areas of coastline along the Solway Firth, the first running from just north of the city of Carlisle, at the estuary of the riv ...
* Threave Castle in Castle Douglas, Built in the 1370s by Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of Douglas. Now a ruin, it was a stronghold of the "Black Douglases", Earls of Douglas and Lords of Galloway, until their fall in 1455. * Twynholm and the David Coulthard Museum. * Wanlockhead – Britain's highest village registered at above sea level and the Lead Mining Museum


Culture

Dumfries got its nickname 'Queen of the South' from David Dunbar, a local poet, who in 1857 stood in the 1857 United Kingdom general election, general election. In one of his addresses he called Dumfries "Queen of the South" and this became synonymous with the town. The term ''doonhamer'' comes from the way that natives of Dumfries over the years have referred to the area when working away from home. The town is often referred to as ''doon hame'' in the Scots language (down home). The term doonhamer followed, to describe those that originate from Dumfries. The Doonhamers is also the nickname of Queen of the South who represent Dumfries and the surrounding area in the Scottish Football League. The crest of Dumfries contains the words, "A Lore Burne". In the history of Dumfries close to the town was the marsh through which ran the Loreburn whose name became the rallying cry of the town in times of attack – A Lore Burne (meaning 'to the muddy stream'). In 2017 Dumfries was ranked the happiest place in Scotland by Rightmove.


Museums, parks and libraries

Located on top of a small hill, Dumfries Museum is centred on the 18th-century windmill which stands above the town. Included are fossil footprints left by prehistoric reptiles, the wildlife of the Solway marshes, tools and weapons of the earliest peoples of the region and stone carvings of Scotland's first Christians. On the top floor of the museum is a camera obscura. Based in the control tower near Tinwald Downs, the aviation museum has an extensive indoor display of memorabilia, much of which has come via various recovery activities. During the second world war, aerial navigation was taught at Dumfries also at Wigtown and nearby Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Annan was a fighter training unit. RAF Dumfries doubled as an important maintenance unit and aircraft storage unit. The museum is run by the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum, Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Group and is the only private aviation museum in Scotland. The restored control tower of the former World War II airfield is now a listed building. The museum is run by volunteers and houses a large and ever expanding aircraft collection, aero engines and a display of artefacts and personal histories relating to aviation, past and present. It is also home to the
Loch Doon Loch Doon (, ) is a freshwater loch in Carrick, Scotland. It is considered relatively oligotrophic. The River Doon issues from its northern end, while the loch itself receives waters from Gala Lane and Loch Enoch (in the Galloway Hills) via Eg ...
Spitfire. Both civil aviation and military aviation are represented. The Ewart Library is a Carnegie library, and was opened in 1904. Carnegie donated £10,000 toward the building of the library, and suggested that it was named after William Ewart, former MP for the area, and who was key in the introduction of acts of Parliament in both England and Scotland related to the creation of public libraries. The most significant of the parks in Dumfries are all within walking distance of the town centre:- * Dock Park – located on the East bank of the Nith just to the South of St Michael's Bridge * Castledykes Park – as the name suggests on the site of a former castle * Mill Green (also known as deer park, although the deer formerly accommodated there have since been relocated) – on the West bank of the Nith opposite Whitesands


Theatre, cinema and media

The Theatre Royal, Dumfries was built in 1792 and is the oldest working theatre in Scotland. The theatre is owned by the Guild of Players who bought it in 1959, thereby saving it from demolition, and is run on a voluntary basis by the members of the Guild of Players. It is funded entirely by Guild membership subscriptions, and by box office receipts. It does not currently receive any grant aid towards running costs. In recent years the theatre has been re-roofed and the outside refurbished. It is the venue for the Guild of Players' own productions and for performances from visiting companies. These include: Scottish Opera, TAG, the Borderline and 7:84. The Robert Burns Centre is an art house cinema in Dumfries. The Odeon Cinema, which showed more mainstream movies, closed its doors in mid-2018 due to issues with the building, forcing them to close. The cinema will reopen as The Regal in 2025. Dumfries was formerly home to one of the 11 BBC studios in Scotland. ''Greatest Hits Radio Dumfries & Galloway'', part of Bauer Media Group, broadcasts from Dumfries, and is also the main radio station for the area. Community radio station ''Alive 107.3'' broadcasts on 107.3FM in Dumfries and online. In 2018, Dumfries got a new radio station, ''Dumfries Community Radio''. Also known as DCR Online, it is not a traditional FM radio station, but an online radio station. The two local newspapers that specifically cover Dumfries and the surrounding are:- * ''Dumfries and Galloway Standard'' (established 1843) publishing on Tuesdays and Fridays * ''Dumfries Courier'' publishing on Fridays


Concert and event venues

The Loreburn Hall (sometimes known colloquially as The Drill Hall) has hosted concerts by performers such as Black Sabbath, Big Country, The Proclaimers and Scottish Opera. The hall has hosted sporting events such as wrestling. The new DG One sport, fitness and entertainment centre became the principal indoor event venue in Dumfries in 2007, but in October 2014, it closed due to major defects being discovered in the building. However, the refurbished building reopened to the public in the summer of 2019. The Theatre Royal has also reopened following renovation work.


Architectural geology

There are many buildings in Dumfries made from sandstone of the local Locharbriggs quarry. The quarry is situated off the A701 on the north of Dumfries at Locharbriggs close to the nearby aggregates quarry. This dimension stone quarry is a large quarry. Quarry working at Locharbriggs dates from the 18th century, and the quarry has been worked continuously since 1890. There are good reserves of stone that can be extracted at several locations. On average the stone is available at depths of 1m on bed although some larger blocks are obtainable. The average length of a block is 1.5m but 2.6m blocks can be obtained. Locharbriggs is from the New Red Sandstone of the Permian age. It is a medium-grained stone ranging in colour from dull red to pink. It is the sandstone used in the Queen Alexandra Bridge in Sunderland, the Manchester Central Convention Complex and the base of the Statue of Liberty.


Visual arts and festivals

With a collection of over 400 Scottish paintings, Gracefield Arts Centre hosts a changing programme of exhibitions featuring regional, national and international artists and craft-makers. Dumfries Art Trail brings together artists, makers, galleries and craft shops with venues accessible all year round. There are a number of festivals which take place throughout the year, mostly based on traditional values. Guid Nychburris (Middle Scots, meaning Good Neighbours) is the main festival of the year, a ceremony which is largely based on the theme of a positive community spirit. The ceremony on Guid Nychburris Day, follows a route and sequence of events laid down in the mists of time. Formal proceedings start at 7.30 am with the gathering of up to 250 horses waiting for the courier to arrive and announce that the Pursuivant is on his way, and at 8.00 am leave the Midsteeple and ride out to meet the Pursuivant. They then proceed to Ride the Marches and Stob and Nog (mark the boundary with posts and flags) before returning to the Midsteeple at 12.15 pm to meet the Provost and then the Charter is proclaimed to the towns people of Dumfries. This is then followed by the crowning of the Queen of the South. Since 2013, Dumfries has seen the annual Nithraid, a small boat race up the Nith from Carsethorn, celebrating the town's historical relationship with the river. The region is also home to a number of thriving music festivals such as the Eden Festival (at St Ann's near Moffat), Youthbeatz (Scotland's largest free youth music festival), the Moniaive Folk Festival, Thornhill Music Festival, Big Burns Supper Festival and previously Electric Fields at Drumlanrig Castle.


Sport

Queen of the South represent Dumfries and the surrounding area in the third level of the country's Scottish Professional Football League, professional football system, the Scottish League One.
Palmerston Park Palmerston Park is a association football, football stadium on Terregles Street in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is the home ground of Scottish League One club Queen of the South F.C., Queen of the South, who have played there ...
on Terregles Street is the home ground of the team. This is on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith. They reached the 2008 Scottish Cup Final, losing 3–2 to Rangers F.C., Rangers. Dumfries City VFC are a virtual football club from the town. Dumfries Rugby Club, Dumfries Saints Rugby Club is one of Scotland's oldest rugby clubs having been admitted to the Scottish Rugby Union in 1876–77 as "Dumfries Rangers". Dumfries is also home to a number of golf courses: * The Crichton Golf Club * The Dumfries and County Golf Club * The Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club Of those listed, only the Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club is on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith. This course is also bisected into 2 halves of 9 holes each by the town's Castle Douglas Road. The club house and holes 1 to 7 and 17 and 18 are on the side nearest to Summerhill, Dumfries. Holes 8 to 16 are on the side nearest to Janefield. The opening stage of the 2011 Tour of Britain started in Peebles and finished later in Dumfries. The stage was won by sprint specialist and reigning Tour de France green jersey champion, Mark Cavendish, with his teammate lead out man, Mark Renshaw finishing second. Cavendish had been scheduled to be racing in the 2011 Vuelta a España. However Cavendish was one a number of riders to withdraw having suffered in the searing Spanish heat. This allowed Cavendish to be a late addition to the Tour of Britain line up in his preparation for what was to be a successful bid two weeks later in the 2011 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race. Cavendish in a smiling post race TV interview in Dumfries described the wet and windy race conditions through the Southern Scottish stage as 'horrible'. DG One complex includes a national event-sized competition swimming (sport), swimming pool. The David Keswick Athletic Centre is the principal facility in Dumfries for athletics. Dumfries is home to Nithsdale Amateur Rowing Club. The rowers share their clubhouse with Dumfries Sub-Aqua Club. The town is also home to Solway Sharks ice hockey team. The team are current Northern Premier League winners. The team's home rink is Dumfries Ice Bowl. Dumfries Ice bowl is also recognised as Scotland's only centre of ice hockey excellence, and trials for the Scottish Jr national team are carried out at this venu. Dumfries Ice Bowl is also home to two synchronised skating teams, Solway Stars and Solway Eclipse. In addition, Dumfries Ice Bowl is also home to several curling teams, competitions and leagues. Junior curling teams from Dumfries, consisting of curlers under the age of 21, regularly compete in the Dutch Junior Open based in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 a Dumfries-based team have been the winners of the competition's Hogline Trophy. Dumfries hosts three outdoor bowls clubs: * Dumfries Bowling Club * Marchmount Bowling Club * Maxwelltown Bowling Club Dumfries hosts cycling organisations and cycling holidays.


Freedom of Dumfries

In 1953 the King's Own Scottish Borderers were granted the freedom of Dumfries.


Transport

Dumfries is linked to the Northbound A74(M) motorway at Beattock via the A701 road. The A75 road eastbound links Dumfries to the southbound A74(M), leading to the M6 motorway and Carlisle. The A75 road west links Dumfries with the ferry port of Stranraer. The A76 road connects to Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. Dumfries railway station lies on the Glasgow South Western Line. It was awarded Best Station Awards by British Rail in 1986 and 1987. The train service is now operated by ScotRail which provides services to Glasgow Central railway station, Glasgow Central and Carlisle, and less frequent services direct to Newcastle railway station, Newcastle. The nearest station to Dumfries on the West Coast Main Line is east along the A709 road (Great Britain), A709 road at Lockerbie railway station, Lockerbie, and the nearest West Coast Main Line station linking directly to Dumfries by rail is Carlisle railway station, Carlisle. Maxwelltown railway station, Maxwelltown station in the Summerhill district of the town was closed along with the direct line to Stranraer railway station, Stranraer via Castle Douglas as part of the Beeching cuts in 1965. Part of the disused railway track in Dumfries was later converted to a cycle path.


Notable people

A number of well-known people were educated at
Dumfries Academy Dumfries Academy is one of four secondary schools in Dumfries in south west Scotland. It is a state funded secondary school for both girls and boys. The schools moto is "doctrina promovet" which translates from Latin to "learning promotes" which ...
, among them Henry Duncan (1774–1846), Henry Duncan, founder of the world's first commercial savings bank, James Anderson (sea captain), Sir James Anderson, who captained the SS Great Eastern on the transatlantic telegraph cable laying voyages in 1865 and 1866, A renowned Rector of Dumfries Academy, mathematician and friend of Robert Burns was Thomas White (headteacher), Thomas White. James Matthew Barrie, J M Barrie, author of ''Peter Pan'', musician Musicians of the RMS Titanic, John Law Hume of the Titanic orchestra, Jane Haining, international diplomat Alexander Knox Helm, John Laurie, actor (Private Fraser in ''Dad's Army''), artist Christian Jane Fergusson, artist Sir Robin Philipson, singer John Hanson (singer), John Hanson, Alex Graham (cartoonist), Alex Graham, cartoonist best known for the Fred Basset series and Jock Wishart, who in 1998 set a new world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powered vessel. Roger White (executive), Roger White, CEO of soft drinks group A.G. Barr is a local lad who went to Dumfries Academy. Following William A. F. Browne's 1838 appointment as Superintendent of the Crichton hospital, his son, James Crichton-Browne, was educated at the academy. William Charles Wells, predecessor to Charles Darwin on the theory of natural selection was another schooled in Dumfries. Geologist Robert Harkness was schooled in Dumfries and subsequently resided in the town. Sir Frank Williams of F1 motor racing fame was educated at St Joseph's College, Dumfries as was Charles Forte, Baron Forte. St Joseph's was founded by Brother Walfrid, the founder of Celtic F.C. International chart-topping record producer Calvin Harris is from Dumfries. Dumfries was the hometown of Calvin Harris until he left in 2008. Ray Wilson (musician), Ray Wilson, lead singer of Stiltskin and later Genesis (band), Genesis was born in Dumfries as were fellow musicians Geoffrey Kelly and Ian Carr and Emma's Imagination singer Emma Gillespie is from Dumfries. Opera singer Nicky Spence was born in Dumfries as was Britain's Got Talent singer Andrew Johnston (singer), Andrew Johnston. Nigel Sinclair is a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film producer. Michael Carter (actor), Michael Carter's acting career has seen him appear in a variety or productions ranging from ''Return of the Jedi'' to ''Rebus (2000 TV series), Rebus.'' Dumfries has produced a steady stream of professional association football, footballers and managers. The best known footballers of their eras to come from Dumfries are probably Dave Halliday, Ian Dickson (footballer), Ian Dickson, Bobby Ancell, Billy Houliston, Jimmy McIntosh, Willie McNaught and Ted McMinn. Halliday, Dickson, Houliston and McMinn played for home town club, Queen of the South F.C.#Notable players, Queen of the South during their careers. Dominic Matteo was born in Dumfries but moved to England while still a young boy. Barry Nicholson lost 4–3 to Queens playing for Aberdeen F.C., Aberdeen in the 2008 Scottish Cup semi-finals despite scoring against the team he supported as a boy. Ancell, Houliston, McNaught and Nicholson have represented Scotland and were joined in having done so in season 2010/11 by Cammy Bell and Grant Hanley. Matteo gained 6 full caps for Scotland after having represented England at under-21 level. Halliday was overlooked by Scotland in favour of Hughie Gallacher. Gallacher played for The Queen's but was not from Dumfries. It was as a manager rather than a player that Thomas Mitchell (football manager), Thomas Mitchell made his name as a multiple FA Cup winner at Blackburn Rovers before joining Woolwich Arsenal as Arsenal F.C. were then named. Dumfries is also the hometown of three-times 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Allan McNish, as it was to fellow racing driver David Leslie (racing driver), David Leslie. Scotland rugby union internationalists Duncan Hodge, Nick De Luca, Craig Hamilton and Alex Dunbar were born in Dumfries as were professional golfers Andrew Coltart and Robert Dinwiddie (golfer), Robert Dinwiddie. Curling world champions David Murdoch, Euan Byers and Craig Wilson (curler), Craig Wilson were all born in Dumfries. Former darts champion Rab Smith is another ''Doonhamer''. BBC Broadcaster Kirsty Wark was born in the town as was fellow broadcaster Stephen Jardine. Neil Oliver (archaeologist, historian, author and broadcaster), grew up in Ayr and Dumfries. Author and earth scientist Dougal Dixon is from Dumfries. Hunter Davies (author, journalist and broadcaster) lived in Dumfries for four years as a boy. James Hannay (writer), James Hannay as well as being a novelist and journalist spent the last five years of his life as the British consul (representative), consul in Barcelona. John Mayne was born in Dumfries in 1759 and contributed in the field of poetry. World War I poet William Hamilton (soldier), William Hamilton was another born in Dumfries. Archibald Gracie, shipping magnate and business tycoon in USA, was from Dumfries. Banking executive John McFarlane originates from the town. The architect George Corson who worked mainly in Leeds, England, was born in Dumfries and articled to Walter Newall in the town. Politician
David Mundell David Gordon Mundell, (born 27 May 1962) is a Scottish Conservative Party politician and solicitor who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale since 2005. He previously served as Secretary of Stat ...
was born in Dumfries as were William Dickson (Upper Canada), William Dickson, William Pattison Telford Sr. and Ambrose Blacklock all of whom made their mark politically in Canada. Malcolm H. Wright was also born in Dumfries, father of Sophie B. Wright – New Orleans' educator and pioneer for women and children's rights. Suffragette and feminist campaigner Dora Marsden spent the last 25 years of her life being cared for in Dumfries after her psychological breakdown. Ian Gibson (politician), Dr Ian Gibson is another to leave his mark on politics. James Edward Tait was a Dumfries-born recipient of the Victoria Cross. William Robertson (VC recipient), William Robertson and Edward Spence (VC), Edward Spence are other Victoria Cross recipients. Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, UK Prime Minister from 1812 to 1827, was quartered in Dumfries in 1796 during his military service. David Haggart (1801–1821), was a Scottish thief and rogue who in 1820 in his escape from Dumfries Gaol, (site now occupied by Thomson's the Jewellers ), killed the Prison officer, turnkey. He was hanged in Edinburgh in 1821. His dictated memoir published as a chapbook became the subject of the 1969 John Huston film "''Sinful'' ''Davey''" starring John Hurt. A plaque on the wall on the site of the King's Arms Hotel, now Boots the Chemist's, records the presence there in 1829 of William Hare of Burke and Hare notoriety. He was travelling to Ireland after the trial; his visit caused a near riot. John Richardson (naturalist), John Richardson, naturalist, explorer and naval surgeon was born in Dumfries as was John Craig (mathematician), John Craig, mathematician, and polymath James Crichton. Benjamin Bell after being born in Dumfries went on to become considered the first Scottish scientific surgeon. His great-grandson was Joseph Bell who Arthur Conan Doyle has credited Sherlock Holmes as being loosely based on from Bell's observant manner. Doyle's father, artist Charles Altamont Doyle, died in The Crichton, The Crichton Royal Institution and is buried in the High Cemetery in Dumfries.Charles Altamont Doyle
The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia. Retrieved: 25 July 2019.
Thomas Peter Anderson Stuart left Dumfries to go on and found the Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney Medical School. John Allan Broun's contribution to science were his discoveries around magnetism and meteorology. James Braid (surgeon), James Braid, surgeon and pioneer of hypnotism and hypnotherapy, practised in Dumfries from 1825 to 1828 in partnership with William Maxwell. Ian Callum is eminent in the world of motor engineer. A
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
minister the Rev. John Ewart of Troqueer in Kirkcudbrightshire produced eleven children of whom some have made a notable mark. Peter Ewart was an engineer who was influential in developing the technologies of turbines and theories of thermodynamics. His brother Joseph Ewart became British ambassador to Prussia. John, a doctor, became Chief Inspector of East India Company hospitals in India. William, father of William Ewart (British politician), William Ewart, was business partner of Sir John Gladstones (''sic''), father of four times Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone junior was named after Ewart, his godfather. James Julius Wood was an early minister at St George's and a Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900), Free Church Moderator.


Places of the same name


Canada

* Dumfries, New Brunswick in Canada * South Dumfries Township, Ontario, Canada * North Dumfries, Ontario, Canada


United States

* Dumfries, Virginia in the US was formally established on land at the head of the harbour of Quantico Creek, provided by John Graham. He named the town after his birthplace, Dumfries in Scotland. * Dumfries, Minnesota, USA * Dumfries, Iowa, USA


Other

* Dumfries, Cat Island, Bahamas * Dumfries, on the Grenadine island of Carriacou, Grenada


Twin towns – sister cities

Dumfries is sister city, twinned with: *Annapolis, Maryland, is home to the United States Naval Academy where John Paul Jones lies in the crypt beneath the chapel. *Gifhorn, Germany *Cantù, Italy. Dumfries and Galloway Council has not been involved in any official twinning link between the two towns for some time. The bond has been maintained through the Friends of Cantu and the Nithsdale Twinning Association.


See also

* Abecediary—An example from St Mary Grey Friars church * List of places in Dumfries and Galloway


References


External links


James Norie senior

Dumfries and Galloway Council Website

www.loreburne.co.uk A Guide to .....Dumfries

Dumfries and Galloway Museums

National Library of Scotland: Scottish Screen Archive
€”selection of archive films about Dumfries
Dumfries Civil Parish Historical Tax Rolls in Dumfriesshire

Video footage and history of Dumfries railway station

Video and history of the Burns Mausoleum, Dumfries.

Things To See and Do & Attractions in DumfriesLife of David Haggart who was executed at Edinburgh, 18 July 1821 for the murder of the Dumfries jailor - Murders - Chapbooks printed in Scotland - National Library of ScotlandCharles Altamont Doyle - The Arthur Conan Doyle EncyclopediaCounty Hotel, 79 High Street, Dumfries, Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway
{{Authority control Dumfries, Dumfriesshire Large burghs County towns in Scotland Towns in Dumfries and Galloway Parishes in Dumfries and Galloway