Annan, Dumfries and Galloway

The town of Annan stands on the River Annan nearly 2 miles from its mouth, 15 miles from Dumfries, in the region of Dumfries and Galloway on the Solway Firth in the south of Scotland.

Related Topics:
River Annan - Dumfries and Galloway - Solway Firth - Scotland

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Annan is a well-built town, red sandstone being the material mainly used. Among its public buildings is the excellent Annan Academy of which the writer Thomas Carlyle was a pupil, a Georgian building now known as "Bridge House". The Town Hall, built in Victorian style in 1878, uses the local sandstone. Annan also features a Historic Resources Centre. In Port Street, some of the windows remain blocked up to avoid paying the window tax.

Related Topics:
Sandstone - Thomas Carlyle - Georgian - Town Hall - Victorian - 1878 - Window tax

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The river Annan is crossed by a stone bridge of three arches dating from 1824, and by a railway bridge.

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Annan served as a maritime town whose ship-building yards built many clippers and other boats. A cairn on the jetty commemorates Robert Burns, who worked as an exciseman here in the 1790s.

Related Topics:
Maritime - Clipper - Cairn - Robert Burns - 1790s

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Annan is a burgh of considerable antiquity. Roman remains exist in the neighbourhood, and Annan Castle formed the original home of the 'de Brus' family, later known as the "Bruces", lords of Annandale, which most famously produced Robert the Bruce. The Baliols and the Douglases were also more or less closely associated with Annan. During the period of the Border lawlessness the inhabitants suffered repeatedly at the hands of moss-troopers and through the feuds of rival families, in addition to the losses caused by the English and Scots wars.

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Edward Irving was a native of the town; in the grounds of Annan Church, there is a statue of him. Another famous Scottish preacher, Robert Murray M'Cheyne, was ordained by the Annan Presbytery. Annan is also the birthplace of politician Jim Wallace, MSP for Orkney.

Related Topics:
Edward Irving - Robert Murray M'Cheyne - Jim Wallace - MSP - Orkney

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Nearby, John Maxwell, 4th Lord Herries, built Hoddom Castle (circa 1552 - 1565).

Related Topics:
John Maxwell - Lord Herries - Hoddom Castle - 1552 - 1565

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