Gretna

About Gretna

Gretna is a planned town, built during the First World War, situated on the Scottish side of the border with England. However, the area has been settled in much further back and historically it is deemed as one of the first villages in Scotland. It following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh.

Gretna Green sits alongside the main town of Gretna, and is what makes the area well known as the marriage capital of the UK. Following the 1754 Marriage Act, couples under the age of 21 were not permitted to marry in England or Wales without their parents' consent. This caused an influx of young couples to cross the border in to Scotland, to marry at the Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop. Around 5,000 couples still tie the knot in Gretna every year.

The town that remains today, was built to provide homes for the employees of the 9 mile long munitions factory, the biggest in the world at the time. The Devil's Porridge in Eastriggs, an exhibition named after the nickname given to the explosives made at the factory, is a great place to find out more about the history of tis. Both Gretna and Gretna Green have shopping and eating out facilities.