Dumfries in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Dumfries, cap. of co., parl. and royal burgh, par., and river port, Dumfries-shire, on river Nith, 33 miles NW. of Carlisle by rail, 92 SE. of Glasgow, and 324 NW. of London -- par., 10,032 ac., pop. 16,841; parl. burgh and town, pop. 17,092; royal burgh, pop. 15,713; P.O., T.O., 7 Banks, 3 newspapers. Market-day, Wednesday. Dumfries is the chief place in the S. of Scotland. It is the capital of a rich rural district, and is an important manufacturing town. The staple is tweeds, but D. has also hosiery and hat mfrs., clog making, basket making, timber trade, ironworks, and tanneries. The traffic is now carried on chiefly by rail, and the port has decreased in importance. (For shipping statistics, see Appendix.) D. is connected with its suburb Maxwelltown (which, with the Terregles part of the town, is in Kirkcudbright) by a stone bridge of the 13th century. In the Minorite Convent Bruce slew the Red Comyn in 1305. The town was plundered and burned by the Highlanders in 1745. The poet Burns died at Dumfries in 1796. The Dumfries Burghs, for parliamentary purposes, consist of Dumfries, Annan, Lochmaben, and Sanquhar, in co. of Dumfries, and Kirkcudbright, in co. of same name; they send 1 member to Parliament.