Home Report Annan

Annan is a town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, with some 8,900 residents. Annan is historically part of Dumfriesshire, and lies on the north shore of the Solway Firth, just eight miles from the English border and roughly 15 miles from Dumfries city centre.

Annan is a town with a rich local history. Roman remains exist in the nearby area and the Mote of Annan in the town formed the original home of the de Brus family, or The Bruces, of which the most famous was Robert the Bruce. There have been several battles fought nearby, most notably the Battle of Annan in December 1332 when Bruce fought off an army assembled by Edward Balliol in the Second War of Scottish Independence.

In the 19th century, shipbuilding, engineering and whisky distilling were key local industries while the 20th century saw the growth of pharmaceuticals and knitwear. In the 19th century Annan was connected to the Glasgow & Southwestern Railway, the Caledonian Railway, and the Solway Junction Railway, which allowed it to export cured hams, cattle, sheep, and grain to England; it also produced cotton goods, ropes, ships, and salmon. By the First World War, it was also a centre of bacon-curing, distilling, tanning, sandstone quarrying, and nursery gardening. So, despite being a relatively small town, Annan was a bustling local centre of industry.

A lot of these industries faded in the 20th century, including whisky production, until 2018 when the nearby Annan Distillery produced its first whisky. Annan last produced a Lowland Malt 90 years before, however, that changed when the recently rejuvenated Annandale Distillery and Visitor Centre released their very first release. Although still in the early days of whisky releases, there is more to come, and the distillery has expanded its operations with the acquisition and operation of The Globe Inn in Dumfries – a former favourite haunt of Rabbie Burns. This is sure to benefit the local area.

Today Annan’s economy is focused on light industry, retail, and leisure, with many residents also commuting for work in Dumfries, Eastriggs, Gretna and Lockerbie. As such, Annan has decent transport links with the A75 running past the northern edges of the town. This offers easy transport links to all of the aforementioned towns as well as further connections into England or further into Scotland. Annan has its own railway station connecting to Dumfries in about 20 minutes and to Carlisle in about 25 minutes. Residents can also travel to Glasgow central station directly in about 2 hours and there are about 8 trains per day. There are numerous regular bus routes serving the town and nearby area, with regional and national bus links available in Dumfries.

In terms of attractions and things to do, many people visiting Annan are notably struck by the abundance of red sandstone buildings, especially in and around the town centre. Notable buildings include the 17th-century Annan Academy, of which the writer Thomas Carlyle was a pupil, and an imposing Georgian building now known as “Bridge House”. The Town Hall was built in Victorian style in 1878, using the local sandstone. Annan also features a Historic Resources Centre. The town centre has a bustling high street with a good range of locally owned independent shops, as well as cafes and restaurants.

For walkers, the Annandale Way is a 53-mile walking route that was opened in September 2009. The route runs through Annandale, from the source of the River Annan to the sea. It passes through the town of Annan and offers a fantastic walking experience both upriver and down from the town.

Also worth mentioning is each year on the first Saturday 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. Annan’s in America first migrated to New York and Virginia. Annandale Virginia is an early settlement which celebrates The Scottish Games annually.

As for local schooling then, Annan is served by four primary schools and one secondary school. The primary schools are Newington Primary – the largest in the town – then Hecklegirth Primary, Elmvale Primary, and St. Columba’s Primary. Annan Academy is the town’s secondary school that covers the whole of South Annandale. Many children from Annan however recently have decided to attend nearby Lockerbie Academy due to its modern new building and facilities.