Thornhill – A Pleasant Country Village

Thornhill is a historical village that is situated in the Dumfriesshire region in Scotland and is part of the parish of Morton.

Thornhill is thought to go back as far as the days of the Romans, but it can be safely said that it was established by the 1600s. There was a lot of development that occurred in the 1700s, much of which was due to all the travelers who passed through heading to the west of the country. By then there was a wooden bridge built over the River Nith that was later re-built and changed to a stone bridge. Although there was a bridge, most travelers would have to take a ferry across before they could continue with their travels.

Today the streets of Thornhill have changed little and are still wide, a common practice during the days when carriage and horse was a popular form of transport. Midway through the 1800s water pump technology was introduced providing the residents with easier access to fresh water. There was also a mill that was built and used for producing products like flour. In 1741 the first church was added to the growing Thornhill village and a brewery, which was located on the banks of the river.

In 1714 one of the first inns were built to accommodate all the travelers passing through. The inn received a lot of recognition for its glass windows, which was something quite unique for its time. Later on a lot more inns and pubs were built to accommodate and provide entertainment for all the visitors. Today a few of the inns and pubs are still in business like the Farmers Arms. If you are looking for a place to stay in Thornhill then the George Hotel and the Buccleuch and Queensberry Hotel are a must if you are keen to experience a little bit of history.

Back in 1850 a station and a line was built taking passengers to Carlisle or to the south of the country but today it is just the line that is still in use, which means people wanting to take the train have to head elsewhere to get on to the train. Drumlanrig Castle is another attraction that is just outside of Thornhill with a 120,000-acre estate for visitors to enjoy at certain times. The first Duke of Queensberry took up residence here in 1691 and today the Scottish castle is still occupied by his family generations later.

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