Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire | |
---|---|
Country | Scotland |
County town | Dumfries |
Area | |
• Total | 1,063 sq mi (2,753 km2) |
Ranked 8th of 34 | |
Chapman code | DFS |
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (
covers a similar area to the historic county.In terms of historic counties it borders Kirkcudbrightshire to the west, Ayrshire to the north-west, Lanarkshire, Peeblesshire and Selkirkshire to the north, and Roxburghshire to the east. To the south is the coast of the Solway Firth, and the English county of Cumberland, later known as Cumbria.
Dumfriesshire has three traditional subdivisions, based on the three main valleys in the county:
Since 1975, the area of the historic county has formed part of the
Geography
The coastline measures 21 miles (34 km). The county slopes very gradually from the mountainous districts of the Southern Uplands in the north, down to the sea; lofty hills alternating in parts with stretches of tableland or rich fertile holms. At various points within a few miles of the Solway are tracts of moss land, like Craigs Moss, Lochar Moss and Longbridge Moor in the west, and Nutberry Moss in the east, all once under water, but since largely reclaimed.[1]
The principal mountains occur near the northern boundaries, the highest being
The three longest rivers are the
The Annan rises near the Devil's Beef Tub, a remarkable chasm in the far north, and after flowing about 40 mi (65 km), mainly in a southerly course, it enters the Solway at Barnkirk Headlands and bays. It receives, on the right, the Kinnel Water (reinforced by the Water of Ae), and — on the left — the Moffat Water, the Dryfe Water and the Water of Milk.[1]
From the confluence of the
Other rivers are the Lochar Water (18 mi or 29 km), the Kirtle Water (17 mi or 27 km) and the River Sark (12 mi or 19 km), all flowing into the Solway. For one mile (1.6 km) of its course the Esk, and for 7 mi (11 km) of its course the River Sark, form the boundaries between Dumfriesshire and Cumberland.[1] Between the Esk and Sark lies Scots' Dyke, a man-made berm that forms the Anglo-Scottish border, cutting through the area formerly known as the Debatable Lands.[2]
Geology
The greater portion of the county of Dumfries belongs to the Silurian tableland of the south of Scotland which contains representatives of all the divisions of that system from the Arenig to the Ludlow rocks.[1]
By far the largest area is occupied by strata of Tarannon and Llandovery age which cover a belt of country from 20 to 25 mi (32 to 40 km) across from Drumlanrig Castle in the north to Torthorwald in the south. Consisting of massive grits, sometimes conglomeratic, greywackes, flags and shales, these beds are repeated by innumerable folds frequently inverted, striking northeast and southwest and usually dipping towards the northwest. In the midst of this belt there are lenticular bands of older strata of Arenig, Llandeilo, Caradoc and Llandovery age composed of fine sediments such as cherts, black and grey shales, white clays and flags, which come to the surface along anticlinal folds and yield abundant graptolites characteristic of these divisions.[1]
These black shale bands are typically developed in Moffatdale; indeed the three typical sections chosen by Charles Lapworth to illustrate his three great groups:
- (1) the Glenkill shales (Upper Llandeilo),
- (2) the Hartfell shales (Caradoc),
- (3) Birkhill shales (Lower Llandovery) occur respectively in the Glenkill Burn north of Kirkmichael, on Hartfell and in Dobbs Linn near St Mary's Loch in the basin of the river Annan.[1]
In the extreme northwest of the county between Drumlanrig Castle and Dalveen Pass in the south and the Spango and Kello Waters on the north, there is a broad development of Arenig, Liandeilo and Caradoc strata, represented by
The strata of Carboniferous age are found in three areas:
- (1) between Sanquhar and Kirkconnel,
- (2) at Closeburn near Thornhill,
- (3) in the district between Liddesdale and Ruthwell.[1]
In the first two instances (Sanquhar and Thornhill) the Carboniferous sediments lie in hollows worn out of the old Silurian tableland. In the Sanquhar basin the strata belong to the Coal Measures, and include several valuable coal-seams which are probably the southern prolongations of the members of this division in Ayrshire. At the S.E. limit of the Sanquhar Coalfield there are patches of the Carboniferous Limestone series, but towards the N. these are overlapped by the Coal Measures which thus rest directly on the Silurian platform. At Closeburn and Barjarg there are beds of marine limestone, associated with sandstones and shales which probably represent marine bands in the Carboniferous Limestone series.[1]
The most important development of Carboniferous strata occurs between Liddesdale and Ruthwell. In the valleys of the Liddel and the Esk the following zones are represented, which are given in ascending order:
- (1) The Whita Sandstone,
- (2) the Cementstone group,
- (3) the Fell Sandstone,
- (4) the Glencartholm Volcanic Group,
- (5) Marine limestone group with Coal-seams,
- (6) Millstone Grit,
- (7) Rowanburn coal group,
- (8) Byreburn coal group,
- (9) Red Sandstones of Canonbie yielding plants characteristic of the Upper Coal Measures.[1]
The coal seams of the Rowanburn field have been chiefly wrought, and in view of their exhaustion bores have been sunk to prove the coals beneath the red sandstone of upper Carboniferous age. From a palaeontological point of view the Glencartholm volcanic zone is of special interest, as the calcareous shale associated with the tuffs has yielded a large number of new species of fishes, decapod crustaceans, phyllopods and scorpions. The Triassic rocks rest uncomfortably on all older formations within the county. In the tract along the Solway Firth they repose on the folded and eroded edges of the Carboniferous strata, and when traced westwards to the Dumfries basin they rest directly on the Silurian platform. They occur in five areas:
- (1) between Annan and the mouth of the Esk (the Scottish portion of the Solway Basin),
- (2) the Dumfries basin (Lower Nithsdale),
- (3) the Thornhill basin (Middle Nithsdale),
- (4) the Lochmaben basin (Middle Annandale),
- (5) Upper Annandale.[1]
The strata consist of breccias, falsebedded sandstones and mans, the sandstones being extensively quarried for building purposes. In the sandstones of Corncockle Moor reptilian footprints have been obtained. In the Thornhill basin there is a thin zone of volcanic rocks at the base of this series which are evidently on-the horizon of the lavas beneath the Mauchline sandstones in Ayrshire. In the Sanquhar basin there are small outliers of lavas probably of this age and several vents filled with agglomerate from which these igneous materials in the Thornhill basin may have been derived. There are several striking examples of basalt dikes of Tertiary age, one having been traced from the Lead Hills south-east by Moffat, across Eskdalemuir to the English border.[1]
Climate and industries
The climate is mild, with a mean annual temperature of around 9 °C (48 °F) (January, 3.6 °C (38.5 °F); July, 15.3 °C (59.5 °F)), and the average annual rainfall is 53 in. Towards the middle of the 18th century farmers began to raise stock for the south, and a hundred years later 20,000 head of heavy cattle were sent yearly to the English markets. The
In general the industries are only of local importance and mostly confined to Dumfries and a few of the larger towns. Langholm is famous for its
Communications
As built, the
, but this closed in 1949.The Caledonian Railway from Carlisle to Glasgow runs through Annandale, which threw off at Beattock a small branch to Moffat, now closed. At Lockerbie a cross-country line to Dumfries (now closed), and at Kirtlebridge a line that ultimately crossed the Solway to Bowness which is also closed.
From Dumfries westwards there were rail communications on the 'Port Road' to Castle Douglas, Newton Stewart, Stranraer and Portpatrick, with branches to Kirkcudbright and Wigtown all closed and lifted.
The
There is also an extensive local bus and coach network throughout the county, centred on Dumfries.
There are no commercial airports in the county.
Settlements
- Annan
- Applegarthtown
- Arkleton
- Beattock
- Bentpath
- Boreland
- Burnfoot
- Burnhead
- Caerlaverock
- Canonbie
- Carronbridge
- Claygate
- Closeburn
- Collin
- Cummertrees
- Dalton
- Dornock
- Dryfesdale
- Dumfries
- Dunscore
- Durisdeer
- Eaglesfield
- Eastriggs
- Ecclefechan
- Eskdalemuir
- Glencairn
- Gretna
- Gretna Green
- Half Morton
- Harelaw
- Hoddom
- Holywood
- Johnstonebridge
- Keir
- Kelloholm
- Kirkconnel
- Kirkmahoe
- Kirkpatrick-Fleming
- Kirkpatrick Juxta
- Kirkstyle
- Kirtlebridge
- Langholm
- Locharbriggs
- Lochmaben
- Lockerbie
- Mennock
- Middlebie
- Moffat
- Mouswald
- Newbie
- Newton Wamphray
- Penpont
- Powfoot
- Rigg
- Rowanburn
- Ruthwell
- Sanquhar
- Thornhill
- Tinwald
- Torthorwald
- Tundergarth
- Tynron
- Wanlockhead
- Waterbeck
- Westerkirk
History
Archaeological remains from the neolithic and Bronze Age include stone circles (as in Dunscore and Eskdalemuir), tumuli and cairns (Closeburn), and sculptured stones (Dornock).[1] A number of bank barrows and cursus have recently been discovered.
The British tribe which inhabited this part of Scotland was called by the Romans Selgovae. They have left many signs of their presence, such as hill forts and camps (Dryfesdale). The country around Moffat especially is rich in remains.[1]
There are traces of the Roman roads which ran by
After the withdrawal of Roman power from Britain, the situation in Dumfries is not clear. The Selgovae were pressured by the power of Strathclyde, by Scots from Ireland, and the Angles from Northumberland. There is little writing preserved from this time, and that which did is ecclesiastical in nature. Archaeology, although rich on the ground, has rarely been investigated, and place names, used as an indication of influence, are still argued over by academics.
In the parish church of
As a Border county Dumfriesshire was the scene of stirring deeds at various epochs, especially in the days of
Dumfriesshire is inseparably connected with the name of
Folk history suggests that at Holywood, near Dumfries, there stand the relic of the grove of sacred oaks from which the place derived its name, and a stone circle known locally as the Twelve Apostles.[1]
In 1988 Dumfriesshire was the site of the
Administrative history
The origins of Dumfriesshire as a county or
For
Historical population figures
The population in 1891 was 74,245, and in 1901, 72,371, when there were 176 persons who spoke Gaelic and English.[1]
Of the chief towns:
- Annan (pop. in 1901, 4,309 pop. in 1951 4,631, in 2001 8,389),
- Dumfries (pop. in 1901, 14,440, pop. in 1951 26,322, in 2001 37,846),
- Langholm (pop. in 1901, 3,142, pop. in 1951 2,404, in 2001 2,311),
- Lockerbie (pop. in 1901, 2,358, pop. in 1951 2,621, in 2001 4,009),
- Moffat (pop. in 1901, 2,530, pop. in 1951 2,114).
Places of interest
Outdoor activities
There are three of the world class
People
Notable people from Dumfriesshire include:
- James Burnie Beck, US Representative and US Senator from Kentucky
- John Graham (botanist)
- Thomas Carlyle, essayist
- Henry Duncan, clergyman
- Andy Goldsworthy, sculptor
- Sir Andrew Halliday, physician, reformer, writer, and civil servant
- Jardine Mathesonfounder
- Kirkpatrick Macmillan, inventor of the bicycle
- James MacMurdo, first British political agent to Cutch State in India
- Patrick Miller of Dalswinton, engineer and inventor
- William Paterson, banker
- Thomas Telford, engineer
- Joseph Thomson, geologist and explorer
- John Laurie (Actor) portrayed, among many other roles, Private Frazer in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army.
- Jane Haining Church of Scotland missionary in Hungary, murdered by Nazis for aiding Jews during the Holocaust
References
Primary sources
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dumfriesshire". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 663. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ISBN 978-0-7524-1484-3. pp. 157 - 158.
- ^ National Museum of Scotland.
- ^ Wegner 2006, pp. 59–80.
- ^ "Clipper Maid of the Seas: Remembering those on flight 103". panamair.org. 2007. Archived from the original on 26 March 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
- ^ Chalmers, George (1824). "Of its establishment as a Shire". Caledonia. London. pp. 68–70. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ Shennan, Hay (1892). Boundaries of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889. Edinburgh: W. Green. p. 337. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "English Street, County Buildings (LB26174)". Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 22 November 2022
- ^ "The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1975/428, retrieved 27 November 2022
- ^ "The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1996/731, retrieved 25 November 2022
- ^ Website for the 7Stanes Mountain Bike Trails.
- ^ Route 7 on Sustrans website Archived 10 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Website with walking routes in the Moffat hills
- ^ "Website for the Southern Upland Way". Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ Annandale Way website
- ^ Annandale Sailing Club's website
Secondary sources
- National Museum of Scotland. Fragments of gilt bronze mounts, From Dumfriesshire. National Museum Scotland.
- Wegner, Timo (2006). James Williams; R. McEwen (eds.). The Dumfriesshire Mounts reconsidered (PDF). Vol. Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society (Third series volume LXXX ed.). Council of the Society. pp. 59–80. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
Further reading
- W. M'Dowall, History of the Burgh of Dumfries (Edinburgh, 1887);
- Sir Herbert Maxwell, Dumfries and Galloway (Edinburgh and London, 1897);
- J. Macdonald and J. Barbour, Birrens and its Antiquities (Dumfries, 1897);
- Sir William Fraser, The Book of Carlaverock (Edinburgh, 1873); The Douglas Book (Edinburgh, 1885);
- The Annandale Book (Edinburgh, 1894);
- G. Neilson, Annandale under the Bruces (Annan, 1887);
- C. T. Ramage, Drumlanrig Castle and the Douglases (Dumfries, 1876).
External links
- Dalveen Pass Archived 11 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine