Dumfriesshire: A Frontier Region

Dumfriesshire has a long history of immigration, from Stone Age people to the Celts, Vikings, and Anglo-Normans. It was the main battleground of the Wars of Independence and was victim to reiving and religious wars. With the restoration of peace, land improvement and farming became the mainstay of the region's economy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 09 August 2018
Publisher: Birlinn General

Dumfriesshire, situated along the primary western route into Scotland, has been a focal point of successive waves of immigrants since the Stone Age. These early inhabitants were followed by the Beaker people during the Bronze Age, renowned for their advanced ironworking techniques, exceptional horsemanship, and formidable militancy. After a brief period of Roman rule, Dumfriesshire became part of the Cumbrian kingdom of Rheged. Subsequently, the region experienced the arrival of the Northumbrian conquerors, Viking invasions, and finally, Anglo-Norman settlers. Among these settlers was Robert de Brus, who was granted the lordship of Annandale, and in 1306, his descendant, King Robert Bruce, usurped the throne.

In a turbulent era, Dumfriesshire emerged as the primary battleground of the Wars of Independence, enduring repeated English invasions, being subjected to reiving, and suffering the consequences of the religious wars of the sixteenth century. However, with the restoration of peace following the Union of 1707, the region witnessed significant land improvement and the emergence of farming, which would eventually become the backbone of its economy. This meticulously researched book debunks numerous popular myths and presents a captivating account of a region that can rightfully be termed the heart of southern Scotland.

Weight: 1018g
Dimension: 240 x 177 x 52 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912476282