Online Encyclopedia

Search over 40,000 articles from the original, classic Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition.

DUMFRIESSHIRE

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V08, Page 664 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
» Make a correction to this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Spread the word: del.icio.us del.icio.us it!

DUMFRIESSHIRE , a border See also:

county of See also:Scotland, bounded S. by the Solway See also:Firth, S.E. by See also:Cumberland, E. by Roxburgh-See also:shire, N. by the shires of See also:Lanark, See also:Peebles and See also:Selkirk, and W. by See also:Ayrshire and See also:Kirkcudbrightshire. Its See also:area is 686,3oz acres or 1072 sq. m. The See also:coast See also:line See also:measures 21 M. The county slopes very gradually from the mountainous districts in the See also:north down to the See also:sea, lofty hills alternating in parts with stretches of tableland or See also:rich fertile holms. At various points within a few See also:miles of the Solway are tracts of See also:moss See also:land, like Craigs Moss, Lochar Moss and Longbridge See also:Moor in the See also:west, and Nutberry Moss in the See also:east, all once under See also:water, but now largely reclaimed. The See also:principal mountains occur near the See also:northern boundaries, the highest being See also:White Coomb (2695 ft.), See also:Hart See also:Fell (2651), See also:Saddle Yoke (2412), Swatte Fell (2389), Lowther Hills (2377), See also:Queensberry (2285), which gives his secondary See also:title to the See also:duke of See also:Buccleuch and the title of See also:marquess to a See also:branch of the See also:house of See also:Douglas, and See also:Ettrick See also:Pen (2269). The three longest See also:rivers are the Nith, the See also:Annan and the Esk, the basins of which See also:form the See also:great dales by which the county is cleft from north to south—Nithsdale, Annandale and Eskdale. From the point where it enters Dumfriesshire, 16 m. from its source near See also:Enoch See also:Hill in Ayrshire, the course of the Nith is mainly See also:south-easterly till it enters the Solway, a few miles below See also:Dumfries. Its See also:total length is 65 m., and its See also:chief affluents are, on the right, the Kello, Euchan, Scar, Cluden and Cargen, and, on the See also:left, the Crawick, Carron and Campie. The Annan rises near the See also:Devil's See also:Beef Tub, a remarkable chasm in the far north, and after flowing about 40 m., mainly in a southerly course, it enters the Solway at Barnkirk headland. It receives, on the right, the Kinnel (reinforced by the Ae), and, on the left, the See also:Moffat, the Dryfe and the See also:Milk. From the confluence of the White Esk (rising near Ettrick Pen) and the See also:Black Esk (rising near Jock's See also:Shoulder, 1754 ft.) the Esk flows in a gradually south-easterly direction till it crosses the Border, whence it sweeps to the S.W. through the extreme north-western territory of Cumberland and falls into the Solway.

Of its total course of 42 m., 12 belong to the White Esk, 20 are of the Esk proper on Scottish See also:

soil and to are of the stream in its See also:English course. On the right the Wauchope is the chief affluent, and on the left it receives the Megget, Ewes, Tarras and Line—the last being an English tributary. Other rivers are the Lochar (18 m.), the Kirtle (17) and the See also:Sark (12), all flowing into the Solway. For one mile of its course the Esk, and for 7 M. of its course the Sark, form the boundaries between Dumfriesshire and Cumberland. See also:Loch See also:Skene in the north (1750 ft. above the sea), the See also:group of lochs around Lochmaben, and Loch Urr in the west, only See also:part of which belongs to Dumfriesshire, are the principal lakes. There are few glens so named in the shire, but the passes of Dalveen, Enterkin and Menock, leading up from See also:Nithsdale to the Lowther and other hills, yield to few glens in Scotland in the See also:wild grandeur of their scenery. For part of the way Enterkin Pass runsbetween mountains rising sheer from the See also:burn to a height of nearly 2000 ft. Loch Skene finds an outlet in Tail Burn, the water of which at a See also:short distance from the See also:lake leaps from a height of zoo ft. in a See also:fine See also:waterfall, known as the See also:Grey See also:Mare's Tail. A much smaller but picturesque fall of the same name, also known as Crichope Linn, occurs on the Crichope near See also:Thornhill. See also:Mineral See also:waters are found at Moffat, Hartfell See also:Spa, some three miles farther north, Closeburn and Brow on the Solway. See also:Geology.—The greater portion of the county of Dumfries belongs to the See also:Silurian tableland of the south of Scotland which contains representatives of all the divisions of that See also:system from the Arenig to the See also:Ludlow rocks. By far the largest area is occupied by strata of Tarannon and See also:Llandovery See also:age which See also:cover a See also:belt of See also:country from 20 to 25 M. across from Drumlanrig See also: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 N.E. and S.W. and usually dipping towards the N.W. 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 See also:

clays and flags, which come to the See also:surface along anticlinal folds and yield abundant See also:graptolites characteristic of these divisions. These black shale bands are typically See also:developed in Moffatdale; indeed the three typical, sections chosen by See also:Professor See also:Lapworth to illustrate his three great See also:groups —(1) the Glenkill shales (Upper Llandeilo), (2) the Hartfell shales (Caradoc),(3) Birkhill shales (See also:Lower Llandovery)—occur respectively in the Glenkill Burn north of Kirkmichael, on Hartfell and in Dobbs Linn near St See also:Mary's Loch in the See also:basin of the See also:river Annan. In the extreme N.W. of the county between Drumlanrig Castle and Dalveen Pass in the S. and the Spango and Kello Waters on the N., there is a broad development of Arenig, Llandeilo and Caradoc strata, represented by Radiolarian cherts, black shales, grits, conglomerates, greywackes and shales which rise from underneath the central Tarannon belt and are repeated by innumerable folds. In the cores of the See also:arches of Arenig cherts there are See also:diabase lavas, tuffs and agglomerates which are typically represented on See also:Bail Hill E. of Kirkconnel. Along the See also:southern margin of the Tarannon belt, the See also:Wenlock and Ludlow rocks follow in normal See also:order, the boundary between the two being defined by a line extending from the See also:head of the Ewes Water in Eskdale, S.W. by See also:Lockerbie to Mouswald. These consist of greywackes, flags and shales with bands of dark graptolite shales, the finer sediments being often well cleaved. They are like-See also:wise repeated by inverted folds, the axial planes being usually inclined to the S.E. The Silurian tableland in the N.W. of the county is pierced by intrusive igneous rocks in the form of dikes and bosses, which are regarded as of Lower Old Red See also:Sandstone age. Of these, the See also:granite See also:mass of Spango Water, N.E. of Kirkconnel, is an excellent example. Along the N.W. margin of the county, on the N. See also:side of the See also:fault bounding the Silurian tableland, the Lower Old Red Sandstone occurs, where it consists of sandstones and conglomerates associated with contemporaneous volcanic rocks. The Upper Old Red Sandstone forms a narrow See also:strip on the south side of the Silurian tableland, resting unconformably on the Silurian rocks and passing upwards into the Carboniferous formation.

It stretches from the county boundary E. of the Ewes Water, S.W. by See also:

Langholm to Birrenswark. Along this line these Upper Red sandstones and shales are overlaid by a thin See also:zone of volcanic rocks which point to contemporaneous volcanic See also:action in this region at the beginning of the Carboniferous See also:period. Some of the vents from which these igneous materials may have been discharged are found along the See also:watershed between See also:Liddesdale and See also:Teviotdale in See also:Roxburghshire. The strata of Carboniferous age are found in three areas: (I) between See also:Sanquhar and Kirkconnel, (2) at Closeburn near Thornhill, (3) in the See also:district between Liddesdale and Ruthwell. In the first two instances (Sanquhar and Thornhill) the Carboniferous sediments See also:lie in hollows worn out of the old Silurian tableland. In the Sanquhar basin the strata belong to the See also:Coal Measures, and include several Valuable coal-seams which are probably the southern prolongations of the members of this See also:division in Ayrshire. At the S.E. limit of the Sanquhar Coalfield there are patches of the Carboniferous See also:Limestone See also:series, but towards the N. these are overlapped by the Coal Measures which thus See also:rest directly on the Silurian plat-form. 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. 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: (I) The Whita Sandstone, (2) the Cementstone group, (3) the Fell Sandstones, (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 See also:plants characteristic of the Upper Coal Measures. The coal-seams of the Rowanburn See also:field have been chiefly wrought, and in view of their exhaustion bores have been sunk to prove the coals e beneath the red sandstone of upper Carboniferous age. From a palaeontological point of view the Glencartholm volcanic zone is of See also:special See also:interest, as the calcareous shale associated with the tuffs has yielded a large number of new See also:species of fishes, decapod crustaceans, phyllopods and scorpions.

The Triassic rocks rest unconformably on all older formations within the county. In the See also:

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 See also:platform. They occur in five areas, (r) between Annan and the mouth of the Esk, (2) the Dumfries basin, (3) the Thornhill basin, (4) at Lochmaben and See also:Corn-See also:cockle Moor, (5) at Moffat. The strata consist of breccias, false-bedded sandstones and marls, the sandstones being extensively quarried for See also: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 See also:base of this series which are evidently on-the See also:horizon of the lavas beneath the Mauch-line sandstones in Ayrshire. In the Sanquhar basin there are small outliers of lavas probably of this age and several vents filled with See also:agglomerate from which these igneous materials in the Thornhill basin may have been derived. There are several striking examples of See also:basalt dikes of See also:Tertiary age, one having been traced from the See also:Lead Hills south-east by Moffat, across Eskdalemuir to the English border. See also:Climate and See also:Industries.—The climate is mild, with a mean yearly temperature of 48° F. (See also:January, 38.5°; See also:July, 59.5°), and the See also:average See also:annual rainfall is 53 ins. Towards the See also:middle of the 18th See also:century farmers began to raise stock for the south, and a See also:hundred years later 20,000 head of heavy See also:cattle were sent annually to the English markets. The Galloways, which were the breed in See also:vogue at first, have been to a large extent replaced by shorthorns and Ayrshire See also:dairy cattle.

See also:

Sheep breeding, of later origin, has attained to remarkable dimensions, the walks in the higher hilly country being given over to Cheviots, and the richer pasture of the See also:low-lying farms being reserved for See also:half-bred See also:lambs, a See also:cross of Cheviots and Leicesters or other See also:long-woolled rams. See also:Pig-feeding, once important, has declined before the imports of See also:bacon from See also:foreign countries. See also:Horse-breeding is pursued on a considerable See also:scale. See also:Grain crops, of which oats are the principal, show a downward tendency. Arable farms range from See also:loo acres to 300 acres, and See also:pastoral from 300 to 3000 acres. In See also:general the manufactures are only of See also:local importance and mostly confined to Dumfries and a few of the larger towns. Langholm is famous for its tweeds; breweries and distilleries are found at Annan, Sanquhar and elsewhere; some See also:shipping is carried on at Annan and Dumfries; and the See also:salmon See also:fisheries of the Nith and Annan and the Solway Firth are of value. Communications.—The See also:Glasgow & South-Western railway from Glasgow to See also:Carlisle runs through Nithsdale, practically following the course of the river, and lower Annandale to the Border. The Caledonian railway runs through Annandale, throwing off at Beattock a small branch to Moffat, at Lockerbie a cross-country line to Dumfries, and at Kirtlebridge a line that ultimately crosses the Solway to Bowness. From Dumfries westwards there is communication with Castle Douglas, See also:Kirkcudbright, See also:Newton See also:Stewart, See also:Stranraer and Portpatrick. The North See also:British railway sends a short line to Langholm from Riddings Junction in Cumberland, giving See also:access to Carlisle and, by the Waverley route, to See also:Edinburgh. There is also See also:coach service between various points, as from Dumfries to New See also:Abbey and See also:Dalbeattie, and from Langholm to Eskdalemuir.

See also:

Population and See also:Government.—The population in 1891 was 74,245, and in 1901, 72,371, when there were 176 persons who spoke Gaelic, and English. The chief towns are Annan (pop. in 1901, 4309), Dumfries (14,444), Langholm (3142), Lockerbie (2358) and Moffat (2153). The county returns one member to See also:parliament. Dumfries, the county See also:town, Annan, Lochmaben and Sanquhar are royal burghs; Dumfries forms a sheriffdom with the shires of Kirkcudbright and See also:Wigtown, and there is a See also:resident See also:sheriff-substitute at Dumfries, who sits also at Annan, Langholm and Lockerbie. The shire is under school-See also:board See also:jurisdiction, and some of the public See also:schools See also:earn grants for higher See also:education. The county See also:council and most of the See also:borough See also:councils give the bulk of the " See also:residue " See also:grant to the county See also:committee on secondary education, which is thus enabled,besides assisting building schemes, to subsidize high schools, to provide bursaries and apparatus, and to carry on See also:science and technical classes, embracing See also:agriculture, dairying (at See also:Kilmarnock Dairy school) and See also:practical See also:chemistry. There are See also:academies at Dumfries, Annan, Moffat and other centres. See also:History.—The British tribe which inhabited this part of Scotland was called by the See also:Romans Selgovae. They have left many signs of their presence, such as hill forts in the north, See also:stone circles (as in Dunscore and Eskdalemuir), camps (Dryfesdale), tumuli and See also:cairns (Closeburn), and sculptured stones (Dornock). The country around Moffat especially is rich in remains. At See also:Holywood, near Dumfries, there stand the relic of the See also:grove of sacred oaks from which the See also:place derived its name, and a stone circle known locally as the Twelve Apostles. In the See also:parish See also:church of Ruthwell (pron.

Rivvel : the " See also:

rood, or cross, well ") is preserved an See also:ancient cross which tells in Runic characters the See also:story of the Crucifixion. There are traces of the See also:Roman roads which ran by Dalveen Pass into Clydesdale and up the Annan to See also:Tweeddale, and at Birrens is one of the best-preserved examples of a Roman See also:camp. Roman altars, urns and coins are found in many places. Upon the withdrawal of the Romans, the Selgovae were conquered by Scots from See also:Ireland, who, however, fused with the natives. The Saxon See also:conquest of Dumfriesshire does not seem to have been thorough, the See also:people of Nithsdale and elsewhere maintaining their See also:Celtic institutions up to the See also:time of See also:David I. As a Border county Dumfriesshire was the See also:scene of stirring deeds at various epochs, especially in the days of See also:Robert See also:Bruce. See also:Edward I. besieged Carlaverock Castle, and the factions of Bruce (who was See also:lord of Annandale), See also:John See also:Comyn and John See also:Baliol were at See also:constant See also:feud. The Border clans, as haughty and hot-headed as the Gaels farther north, were always at strife. There is See also:record of a bloody fight in Dryfesdale in 1593, when the Johnstones slew 700 Maxwells, and, overtaking the fugitives at Lockerbie, there massacred most of the remnant. These factions embroiled the dalesmen until the 18th century. The See also:highlands of the shire afforded See also:retreat to the persecuted See also:Covenanters, who, at Sanquhar, published in 168o their See also:declaration against the See also:king, anticipating the principles of the " glorious Revolution " by several years. See also:Prince See also:Charles Edward's ambition left the shire comparatively untouched, for the Jacobite sentiment made little See also:appeal to the people.

Dumfriesshire is inseparably connected with the name of Robert See also:

Burns, who farmed at Ellisland on the Nith for three years, and spent the last five years of his See also:life at Dumfries. See also:Thomas See also:Carlyle was See also:born at Ecclefechan, in a house still See also:standing, and was buried beside his parents in the kirkyard of the old See also:Secession church (now the See also:United See also:Free). His See also:farm of Craigenputtock was left to Edinburgh University in order to found the John Welsh bursaries in See also:classics and See also:mathematics. See W. M'Dowall, History of the See also:Burgh of Dumfries (Edinburgh, r887) ; See also:Sir See also:Herbert See also:Maxwell, Dumfries and See also:Galloway (Edinburgh and See also:London, 1897) ; J. See also:Macdonald and J. See also:Barbour, Birrens and its Antiquities (Dumfries, 1897) ; Sir See also:William See also:Fraser, The See also:Book of Carlaverock (Edinburgh, 1873) ; The Douglas Book (Edinburgh, 1885) ; The Annandale Book (Edinburgh, 1894) ; G. See also:Neilson, Annandale under the Bruces (Annan, 1887) ; C. T. Ramage, Drumlanrig Castle and the Douglases (Dumfries, 1876).

End of Article: DUMFRIESSHIRE

Additional information and Comments

There are no comments yet for this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Please link directly to this article:
Highlight the code below, right click, and select "copy." Then paste it into your website, email, or other HTML.
Site content, images, and layout Copyright © 2006 - Net Industries, worldwide.
Do not copy, download, transfer, or otherwise replicate the site content in whole or in part.

Links to articles and home page are always encouraged.

[back]
DUMFRIES (Gaelic, " the fort in the copse ") 		[next]
DUMICHEN, JOHANNES (1833-1894)

Site © 2006 - Net Industries