Dunscore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dunscore |
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 Dunscore village and War Memorial |
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 Dunscore
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| Council area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Fire | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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Dunscore is a small village in southwest Scotland. It is about 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) northwest of Dumfries. You can find it on the B729 road in the Dumfries and Galloway region.
Around 150 people live in Dunscore. The village has a church, a pub run by the community, and a post office that opens a few times a week. Every August, the village holds a special gala event.
Dunscore is famous as the birthplace of Jane Haining. She was a brave missionary from the Church of Scotland. She is remembered for helping people during a very difficult time in history.
The Dunscore railway station opened in 1905. It stopped taking passengers in 1943 and closed completely in 1949. This station was part of the Cairn Valley Railway. This railway line connected Moniaive to Dumfries. The Craigenputtock Estate is also located within the Dunscore area.
What Does Dunscore Mean?
The name Dunscore comes from an old language called Cumbric. It combines two words: dīn, which means 'fort', and *ïsgor, meaning 'fortification' or 'rampart'. So, the name Dunscore likely means "fort of the strong wall" or "fort with a rampart".
Dunscore's Churches
Dunscore has a parish church that serves the local community today.
There was also an older church called Dunscore Old Kirk. It was located near Fardingwell Farm. This old church was close to Ellisland Farm, where the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns once lived. It was also near "Isle Tower," which belonged to Robert Ferguson.
The old church's burial ground is still there. You can find the tomb of the 'Laird of Lag' here. Also buried there is Captain Robert Riddell of Glenriddell. He was a close friend of Robert Burns.
In 2017, the old church building was rebuilt into a heritage centre. This centre shares information about Dunscore's history. It also tells the story of Jane Haining, who was born in the village.
Lag Tower: A Historic Ruin
Lag Tower, also known as Lagg Tower, is a ruined old building. It stands on high ground northeast of Dunscore. This tower was built in the 15th or 16th century. It was originally four storeys tall and had a walled courtyard around its base.
For many years, starting in the 14th century, Lag Tower was the home of the Clan Grierson family. They were the ones who built the tower. Members of the Grierson family were involved in important historical battles. For example, Roger Grierson of Lagg died at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. Other family members were killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
