Vacations In Dumfries And Superb Visitor Attractions Worth A Visit
Dumfries, situated, not too far from the Solway Firth, on the banks of the River Nith is, by a great number, the largest town in the southwest of Scotland (the population is far more than 30 thousand people). Dumfries, like Ayr, has a countless associations with, the poet, Robert Burns life.
For folk planning to take a vacation in Dumfries below we have listed information about 3 popular places worth a visit; Dundrennan Abbey, Lochmaben Castle and Robert Burns House:
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 made 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 soon imprisoned and captured by the English. Following the Scottish Reformation in 1587, the land 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 built by the Bruce family, Lords of Annandale, in the beginning of the twelfth century. In 1298, King Edward I of England captured the castle, and then commissioned another Lochmaben Castle in a more efficient defensive position. This second castle was finished at the beginning of the fourteenth century, leaving the old castle abandoned. 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 besieged and captured the castle from the Maxwell family. The castle was eventually left derelict after the Union of the Crowns in 1603.
Robert Burns House
One of Scotland’s most famous men, Robert Burns, resided 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 passed away prematurely at the age of thirty seven 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 wrote are displayed, as are many of his orginal manuscripts. There are personal items on display as well, that once belonged to his family.
If you are thinking about taking Scottish vacation and you plan to stay in Dumfries you may wish to book your accommodation online and you will find listings of Dumfries hotels and accommodation at http://dumfries.hotelreservationhelper.com.
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