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|country = Scotland
|country = Scotland
|official_name= Annan
|official_name= Annan
|gaelic_name= Inbhir Anainn <ref>[http://www.ainmean-aite.org/database.asp?intent=details&id=826/''Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba ~ Gaelic Place-names of Scotland'']</ref>
|gaelic_name= Anainn
|scots_name= Annan
|scots_name= Annan
|os_grid_reference= NY194669
|os_grid_reference= NY194669
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}}
}}


The [[royal burgh]] of '''Annan''' ([[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]]: ''Anainn'') is a well-built town, red [[sandstone]] being the material mainly used.Each year in July, Annan celebrates the Royal Charter and the boundaries of the Royal Burgh are confirmed when a mounted cavalcade undertakes the Riding of the Marches. Entertainment includes a procession, sports, field displays and massed pipe bands. Among its public buildings is Annan Academy of which the writer [[Thomas Carlyle]] was a pupil, a [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] building now known as "Bridge House". The [[Town Hall]], built in [[Victorian architecture|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]].
The [[royal burgh]] of '''Annan''' ([[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]]: ''Inbhir Anainn'') is a well-built town, red [[sandstone]] being the material mainly used.Each year in July, Annan celebrates the Royal Charter and the boundaries of the Royal Burgh are confirmed when a mounted cavalcade undertakes the Riding of the Marches. Entertainment includes a procession, sports, field displays and massed pipe bands. Among its public buildings is Annan Academy of which the writer [[Thomas Carlyle]] was a pupil, a [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] building now known as "Bridge House". The [[Town Hall]], built in [[Victorian architecture|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]].


==Geography and administration==
==Geography and administration==
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[[bg:Анан (град)]]
[[bg:Анан (град)]]
[[fr:Annan (Écosse)]]
[[fr:Annan (Écosse)]]
[[gd:Anainn, Dùn Phris is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh]]
[[gd:Inbhir Anainn, Dùn Phris is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh]]
[[nl:Annan (plaats)]]
[[nl:Annan (plaats)]]
[[no:Annan]]
[[no:Annan]]

Revision as of 13:47, 14 June 2011

Annan
Population8,389 [2](2001 Census)
est. 8,480[3] (2006)
OS grid referenceNY194669
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townANNAN
Postcode districtDG12
Dialling code01461
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland

The royal burgh of Annan (Gaelic: Inbhir Anainn) is a well-built town, red sandstone being the material mainly used.Each year in July, Annan celebrates the Royal Charter and the boundaries of the Royal Burgh are confirmed when a mounted cavalcade undertakes the Riding of the Marches. Entertainment includes a procession, sports, field displays and massed pipe bands. Among its public buildings is 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.

Geography and administration

Annan River road bridge

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. Eastriggs is about 3 miles to the east and Gretna is about 8 miles to the east.

Annan Bridge, a stone bridge of three arches, built between 1824 and 1827, carries road traffic over the River Annan. It was designed by Robert Stevenson and built by John Lowry. There is also a railway bridge and a nearby pedestrian bridge over the River Annan, and the town is served by Annan railway station. The train turntable was designed and developed in Annan, it can be seen today in the York Railway Museum.

History

Roman remains exist in the neighbourhood.

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 Balliols 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 Scottish Wars of Independence. It was at Annan in December 1332 that Bruce supporters overwhelmed Balliol's forces to bring about the end of the first invasion of Scotland in the Second War of Scottish Independence.

During his retreat from Derby, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed in the High Street at the inn where L'Auberge now stands.

Annan served as a maritime town whose shipbuilding yards built many clippers and other boats. A cairn on the jetty commemorates Robert Burns, who worked as an exciseman here in the 1790s. Although the port is now mainly dry, a few stranded boats remain.

Annan Academy has a history that goes back to the 17th century; its current buildings include modern 1960s built buildings and older buildings on St John's Road.

Notable people

Distillery

There are plans to re-open the distillery in Annan which last produced a Lowland Malt 90 years ago although this is still in early stages. [5]

Churches

Annan is served by several churches of different denominations, including:

There is also a local interchurch group, known as Annandale Churches Together.[6]

Landmarks

Just outside the town, the Chapelcross nuclear power station has now shut down and is decommissioning. The four cooling towers were demolished in 2007.

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

To the east of the town lies the settlement of Watchill and the similarly named Watchhall.

Part of the A75, between Annan and Dumfries, is reported to be haunted.[7][8]

  • High Street
    High Street
  • Chapelcross power station (now partially demolished)
    Chapelcross power station (now partially demolished)
  • Annan Academy (old buildings)
    Annan Academy (old buildings)
  • War memorial, High Street
    War memorial, High Street

See also

References

  1. ^ Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba ~ Gaelic Place-names of Scotland
  2. ^ http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile=Population&mainArea=annan&mainLevel=Locality
  3. ^ http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data
  4. ^ Andy Aitken in the Queen of the South club history
  5. ^ A Sleeping Beauty Awakens, Annandale Distillery
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Cohen, Daniel; Marchesi, Stephen (1992). "The Annan Road Horrors". Railway Ghosts and Highway Horrors. London: Apple. pp. 61–66. ISBN 0-590-45423-4.
  8. ^ rale (June 18, 2010). "The Four Most Frightening Roads You Can Travel". Weird Worm. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
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