Dumfriesshire

Dumfriesshire, one of the Scottish border counties, is bounded on the S. by Cumberland and the Solway Firth, on the N. by Lanark, Peebles and Selkirk, on the E. by Roxburgh, and on the W. by Ayr and Kirkcudbright. It has a length of 50 miles by a breadth of 32 miles, with an area of 1,103 square miles. The whole county sweeps down with an irregular slope from the mountainous northern boundary to the Solway Firth, on which it has a coast-line of 21 miles. The valleys of the Nith, the Annan, and the Esk form three natural divisions, each of from 40 to 50 miles in length, and of increasing fertility as the lower levels are reached. Farming is carried to a high pitch of perfection, and sheep-breeding, cattle-dealing, and pork-curing add to the resources of the district, which can only boast of rich coal mines and lead mines in the N.W., quarries of lime and sandstone, even alluvial gold, some woollen factories, and excellent salmon-fishing. Sanquhar, Lochmaben, Lockerbie, Langholm, Annan, and the Spa of Moffat are the places of chief importance; whilst Ecclefechan is famed as the birthplace of Carlyle, and Gretna Green, on the Cumberland border, was the scene of runaway marriages till 1856. As the home of many great border families, Dumfriesshire is dotted over with numberless ruined castles. The Caledonian main line traverses the northern half of the county, and the Glasgow and South Western line passes through Dumfries and the southern portion.