Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway
Thornhill
| |
|---|---|
 Monument to Joseph Thomson | |
  Thornhill | |
| Thornhill shown within Dumfries and Galloway | |
| Population | 1,512 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Thornhill |
| Postcode district | DG3 |
| Dialling code | 01848 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Thornhill (Scottish Gaelic: Bàrr na Driseig)[1] is a town in the Mid Nithsdale area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, south of Sanquhar and north of Dumfries on the main A76 road. Thornhill sits in the Nithsdale valley with the Carsphairn and Scaur range to the west and the Lowther hills to the east. It was initially a small village, planned and built in 1717 on the Queensberry Estate on the road linking Dumfries to Glasgow.
The town is primarily comprised a grid pattern with the main street of Drumlanrig Street (the A76), East and West Morton Streets, New Street, Townhead Street and Gill Road (the A702).
The town is near Drumlanrig Castle, a 17th-century turreted mansion once the ancient Douglas stronghold, now home to the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. The grounds contain Tibbers Castle which was founded in the 12th or 13th century.
The most recently published Census data from 2001 puts the population at 1,512 inhabitants.[2]
Public Transport
The town's bus service is operated by the South West of Scotland Transport Partnership (SWESTRANS)[3] incorporating a number of local and national operators.
Thornhill railway station, closed in 1965, is on the old Glasgow and South Western main line from Carlisle and Dumfries to Kilmarnock and Glasgow. The nearest train stations are located in Dumfries or Sanquhar.
In 2016 the local community council distributed a survey, and residents showed overwhelming support of the re-opening of the station. Recently a community action plan was released, which outlined the next steps for village development, and the station's redevelopment is a current goal for the village.
Education
The recently rebuilt school 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.
Wallace Hall Primary School and its Nursery moved into a new building in January 2010, as part of a shared campus with Academy.[4]
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.
Notable residents
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. There is also a column topped by a winged horse, the emblem of the Queensberry family, in the centre of the town.
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.[5]
Helen Armstrong, née Hyslop worked for thirty years at the Buccleuch Arms as a cook. She is said to have been an illegitimate daughter of Robert Burns and Helen Hyslop from Moffat.
Samuel Wallace, a Victoria Cross recipient, was born in the town.
John McLachan (architect) (1843-1893) was born here.[6]
Joseph Laing Waugh, an author, was born and raised here.[7]
Amenities
Thornhill has a bowling green, a golf course[8] 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 wash rooms[9] and a small cottage hospital.[10]
The HALO Trust
The global headquarters of the HALO Trust is located in the town inside a converted stable block.
References
- ↑ "Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland". Gaelicplacenames.org. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
- ↑ "Thornhill Population Stats". GRO Scotland.
- ↑ "Timetables for Public Transport". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ↑ "Dumfries and Galloway Council : Wallace Hall Primary School". Dumgal.gov.uk. 2013-02-26. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
- ↑ Who's Who 2008: London, A & C Black, 2008 ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
- ↑ Dictionary of Scottish Architects: McLachan
- ↑ http://www.dumfriesshirecompanion.com/Other_Literary_Figures.htm
- ↑ "thornhillgolfclub.co.uk". thornhillgolfclub.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
- ↑ "Dumfries and Galloway Council : Thornhill Library and Customer Service Centre". Dumgal.gov.uk. 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
- ↑ "Dumfries and Galloway NHS - Thornhill Hospital". Nhsdg.scot.nhs.uk. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
External links
Media related to Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway at Wikimedia Commons