Dumfries

About Dumfries

The town of Dumfries is set along the banks of the River Nith and is the largest town in South West Scotland. Dumfries has been a Royal Burgh since 1186 but it has thought that there has been a settlement and port in the area since Roman times.

Dumfries is perhaps most well known for its many associations with Robert Burns, who lived here in the 1790s. The Robert Burns Centre is situated in an 18th century watermill and tells the story of Burns’ last years in the town. The town was also home to J M Barrie for 5 years, the playwright best known for his work Peter Pan. Barrie played with friends at the Georgian house Moat Brae, which was restored and opened as a visitor attraction. It is now the National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling.

Dumfries has a wide variety of shops, restaurants and places to stay, making it a favourite of visitors to this part of Scotland.