Attractions Worth A Visit In Dumfries, Scotland

Posted on | October 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Dumfries, situated, on the banks of the River Nith, not that far away from the Solway Firth is, by a great amount, the most populous town in the southwest area of Scotland (the population is in excess of thirty thousand souls). Dumfries, like Ayr, has a great many associations with the life and times of Robert Burns, the great poet.

For people planning to take a vacation in DumfriesÂ we have listed details of three popular places worth visiting; Dundrennan Abbey, Robert Burns House and Lochmaben Castle:

Dundrennan Abbey

King David I founded Dundrennan Abbey in 1142. At this time, Scottish abbeys were more often built of a reddish sandstone, but Dundrennan Abbey was constructed of very hard-wearing, local grey sandstone. This is probably the reason why many of the unique architecural mouldings and forms have survived. The first monks to live in the Abbey, were supposedly to have come from Rievaulx, Yorkshire. Mary Queen of Scots spent her last night on Scottish soil at Dundrennan Abbey in 1568. She then found her way across the Solway Firth to Workington, and was shortly imprisoned and captured by the English. In 1587, following the Scottish Reformation, the property was passed into the hands of the crown.

Lochmaben Castle

The Lochmaben Castle, that we see today, was not the first Lochmaben Castle. The first was erected by the Bruce family, Lords of Annandale, in the 1100’s. In 1298, King Edward I of England seized the castle, and then constructed another Lochmaben Castle in a more efficient defensive location. This second castle was completed at the start of the 14th century, leaving the old castle derelict. From 1306 to 1588, the castle was either in the hands of the English or the hands of the Scots. It was in 1588 that James VI attacked and seized the castle from the Maxwell family. The castle was eventually abandoned after the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Robert Burns House

One of the most famous men in Scotland, Robert Burns, lived in Dumfries during the last years of his life. The house that he and his family once lived in has now become a place of pilgramge for his fans from across the globe. He left this mortal coil prematurely at the age of 37 years in 1796, at home. Today, one can catch a glimpse of how he and his family lived, back in the late 1700’s. The desk and chair where he sat and composed are exhibited, as are many of his orginal manuscripts. On display there are personal items as well, that once belonged to his family.

If you are considering having a vacation in Scotland and you wish to spend some time in Dumfries you may want to book your accommodation online and you will discover listings of accommodation and hotels in Dumfries to be quite helpful.