Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway
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Coordinates: 55°14′20″N 3°46′01″W / 55.239°N 3.767°W
| Thornhill | |
Monument to Joseph Thomson |
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 Thornhill
Thornhill shown within Dumfries and Galloway |
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| Council area | Dumfries and Galloway |
|---|---|
| Lieutenancy area | Dumfries |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Thornhill |
| Postcode district | DG3 |
| Dialling code | 01848 |
| Police | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Fire | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| Scottish Parliament | South of Scotland |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Thornhill is a town in the Mid Nithsdale area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, south of Sanquhar and north of Dumfries. A monument to the explorer Joseph Thomson (after whom the Thomson's Gazelle is named), who lived in neighbouring Penpont and Gatelawbridge, can be found close to the school. It also has a column topped by a winged horse, the emblem of the Queensberry family, in the centre of the town.
The school,which has recently been rebuilt, gained its name, Wallace Hall Academy, on amalgamation with the nearby Closeburn school of that name. The original Closeburn school was founded in 1723 by John Wallace, a merchant in Glasgow and native of Closeburn. Alumni include the golfer Andrew Coltart. Bobby Black (Scottish League internationalist and Scottish League Cup winning footballer and also all England bowls champion) is also from Thornhill. Colin Peacock, A long serving Scottish International Bowler and Commonwealth Games representative in 2006. Swimmer, Moira Brown represented Scotland in the Commonwealth Games and represented Great Britain in the 1972 Munich Olympics as well as several other internationals.
The Very Reverend Dr James Harkness, first non-Anglican Chaplain-General of the UK Armed Forces and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1995, is from Thornhill.
Thornhill has a bowling green,a golf course and is renowned for the excellent fishing in the nearby River Nith and tributaries.
Thornhill also features a wide variety of retail outlets, such as clothes boutiques, cafes, pubs, food stores, a large pharmacy, an ironmonger, an electrical retailer, gift shops and two hairdressers. The large Victorian post office stands on the north side of the town,along with a Royal Mail sorting office which serves a large rural area. There is also a garage and a small backstreet filling station. The town also has a public library and a cottage hospital. The railway station, closed in 1965, is on the old Glasgow and South Western main line from Carlisle and Dumfries to Kilmarnock and Glasgow. Investigations are in progress for its possible reopening. The town is served by several bus services, including the Stagecoach service 246 Dumfries to Ayr and the MacEwans service 102 Dumfries to Edinburgh.
Thornhill sits in the Nith valley in close proximity to ranges of interesting hills on either side, the Carsphairn and Scaur range to the west and the Lowther hills to the east. These hills offer excellent possibilities for the outdoor enthusiast.
[edit] External links
Media related to Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway at Wikimedia Commons
