Visit Dumfries Places

Welcome to Visit Dumfries Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Dumfries

  

Dumfries Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Dumfries

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Dumfries history

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Early history

Some writers hold that Dumfries flourished as a place of distinction during the Roman occupation of North Great Britain. The Selgovae inhabited Nithsdale at the time and may have raised some military works of a defensive nature on or near the site of the town. According to one theory, the name is resolvable into two Gaelic terms signifying a castle or fort in the copse.

Medieval period

When, in 1069, Malcolm Canmore and William the Conqueror held a conference regarding the claims of Edgar Ætheling 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. It has been argued, the town thus characterised must have been Dumfries; and therefore it must 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 eight to nine miles (14 km) distant from the sea, although the River Nith is tidal and navigable all the way into the town itself. Although at the time 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream and on the opposite bank of the Nith from Dumfries, Lincluden Abbey 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 granted the charter to raise Dumfries to the rank of a royal burgh 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, 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 chased a fleeing English force southward through the Nith valley. The English fugitives met the gates of Dumfries Castle that remained firmly closed in their presence. With a body of the town’s people joining Wallace and his fellow pursuers when they arrived, the fleeing English met their end at Cockpool on the Solway Coast. After resting at Caerlaverock Castle a few miles away from the bloodletting, Wallace again passed through Dumfries the day after as he returned north to Sanquhar. In the invasion of 1300, Edward I of England lodged for a few days in June with the Minorite Friars of the Vennel, before at the head of the then greatest invasion force to attack Scotland he laid siege to Caerlaverock Castle. After Caerlaverock eventually succumbed, Edward passed through Dumfries again as he crossed the Nith to take his invasion into Galloway. With the Scottish nobility having requested Vatican support for their cause, Edward on his return to Caerlaverock was presented with a missive directed to him by Pope Boniface VIII. 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 till Whitsunday in the following year. Before becoming King of Scots, Robert the Bruce slew his rival the Red Comyn at Greyfriars Kirk in the town on 10 February 1306. His uncertainty about the fatality of his stabbing caused one of his followers, Roger de Kirkpatrick, 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. 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 and led Scotland to independence. 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 (Bruce’s brother in law) had been captured at Loch Doon 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 and then beheading 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 Young Pretender had his headquarters here during a 3-day sojourn in Dumfries towards the end of 1745. Room No. 6 of the hotel was known as Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Room and appropriately carpeted in the Royal Stewart tartan.

20th century and beyond

RAF Dumfries had a moment of danger on 25 March 1943, when a German Dornier Do 217 aircraft shot up the airfield beacon, but crashed shortly afterwards. In World War II the bulk of the Norwegian Army during their years in exile in Britain consisted of a brigade.

Dumfries culture & places

Dumfries got its nickname ‘Queen of the South’ from David Dunbar, a local poet, who in 1857 stood in the general election. The town is often referred to as doon hame in the Scots language (down home) The term doonhamer is also the nickname of the Doonhamers who represent the town in the Scottish Football League.

Museums

Dumfries Museum is centred on the 18th-century windmill which stands above the town. Includes fossil footprints left by prehistoric reptiles, tools and weapons of the earliest peoples of the region and stone carvings of Scotland’s first Christians. The museum is run by volunteers and houses an ever expanding aircraft collection.

Theatre and cinema

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, saving it from demolition. It is run on a voluntary basis by the members of the Guild. It does not currently receive any grant aid towards running costs.

Concert and event venues

The Loreburn Hall has hosted concerts by Black Sabbath, Big Country, The Proclaimers and Scottish Opera. The new DG One sport, fitness and entertainment centre became the principal indoor event venue in Dumfries in 2007. In October 2014, it closed due to major defects being discovered in the building.

Visual arts

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.

Festivals

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. Since 2013, Dumfries has seen the annual Nithraid, a small boat race up the Nith from Carsethorn.

Library

Carnegie donated £10,000 toward the building of the Ewart Library in 1904. William Ewart, former MP for the area, was key in the introduction of legislation related to public libraries.

Dumfries toponymy

There are a number of theories on the etymology of the name, with an ultimately Celtic derivation considered the most likely. The first element is derived either from the elements drum or dronn-, (meaning “ridge” or “hump”, also in Gaelic as druim), or from Dùn or Dum meaning fort. The second element is cognate with the Cumbric prēs, an element common in Brythonic areas south of the forth river.

Dumfries geography / climate

The river Nith runs through Dumfries toward the Solway Firth splitting the town into East and West. The length of the Nith is extended by 13 km to 113.8 km (70.7 mi) In wetter months of the year the river can flood the surrounding streets. The town has numerous suburbs including Summerhill, Summerville, Troqueer, Georgetown, Cresswell, Larchfield, Calside, Lochside, Lincluden.

You can visit Dumfries places with Walkfo Dumfries to hear history at Dumfries’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Dumfries has 36 places to visit in our interactive Dumfries map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Dumfries, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Dumfries places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Dumfries & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 36 audio facts unique to Dumfries places in an interactive Dumfries map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Dumfries Places Map
36 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Dumfries historic spots	Dumfries tourist destinations	Dumfries plaques	Dumfries geographic features
Walkfo Dumfries tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Dumfries

  

Best Dumfries places to visit

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Dumfries has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Dumfries’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Dumfries’s information audio spots:

Theatre Royal, Dumfries The Theatre Royal in Dumfries, Scotland is the oldest working theatre in Scotland. The Theatre is owned by the Guild of Players who bought it in 1959. The Guild’s aim is to promote the tradition of live theatre.

Queensberry Hotel, Dumfries The Queensberry Hotel is a Category B listed building in Dumfries, Scotland. It is notable for the ornate carved sandstone facade and for its connection to the development of musical culture in the local area.

Greyfriars Church, Dumfries Greyfriars Church, Dumfries is a Category A listed building in south west Scotland. The current building was built from 1866 to 1868 in the Victorian Gothic style. It is situated in a prominent position at the top of the High Street.

Dumfries Museum Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura is the largest museum in the region. The museum has extensive collections relating to local and history from the pre-historic era. Admission to the museum is free, however a small fee applies for the Camera Oscura.

HM Prison Dumfries Dumfries Prison was built in 1883 by Thomas Bernard Collinson and extended with additions in 1988. It is one of only three purpose built 19th century prisons still in use.

Curriestanes cursus Curriestanes cursus (grid reference NX 95990 75170) is a large neolithic ditched enclosure on the outskirts of Dumfries. It is visible only from aerial photography.

Cargenbridge Cargenbridge is located southwest of Dumfries and Galloway. It is in Troqueer parish, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire.

Newbridge Drive Newbridge Drive is a relatively new suburb in Dumfries. It is situated on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith and is 1.8 miles north-west from the town centre.

Dumfries Dumfries is the county town of the historic county of Dumfriesshire. It is located 25 miles (40 km) by road from the Anglo-Scottish border and just 15 miles (24 km) away from Cumbria by air. People from the town are known colloquially in Scots language as Doonhamers.

Visit Dumfries plaques