Maxwelltown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maxwelltown |
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 Maxwelltown War Memorial |
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| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Dumfries |
| Postcode district | DG2 |
| Dialling code | 01387 |
| Police | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Fire | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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Maxwelltown (pronounced "MAX-well-town") was once a busy town in Scotland. It was known as a "burgh," which is like a special type of town with its own local government. By 1929, it was the biggest burgh in the area called Kirkcudbrightshire.
In that same year, Maxwelltown joined up with its neighbour, the town of Dumfries. This meant Maxwelltown became part of Dumfries. This change also moved Maxwelltown from Kirkcudbrightshire to a different area called Dumfriesshire.
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Where is Maxwelltown Located?
Maxwelltown is found on the west side of the River Nith. This river used to be the old border between Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire. Before 1810, Maxwelltown was just a small village called Bridgend.
In 1810, it officially became a "burgh of barony" and got its current name, Maxwelltown. Later, in 1833, it became a "police burgh." This meant it had its own police force and more local control.
Maxwelltown's Neighbourhoods
Maxwelltown includes several smaller areas or neighbourhoods. These include places like Summerhill, Troqueer, Janefield, Lochside, Lincluden, Sandside, and Summerville. The town of Maxwelltown was spread across two church areas called Terregles and Troqueer.
In 1928, the people living in Maxwelltown voted on whether to join Dumfries. Most people agreed, and the change happened on October 3, 1929.
Important Places in Maxwelltown
Even though Maxwelltown is now part of Dumfries, many important buildings and places are still on its side of the river.
The oldest building in the Dumfries area is Lincluden Abbey, which is in Maxwelltown. If you like football, the home ground for the Queen of the South football club is also here. Some famous players from the club, like Ian Dickson, Billy Houliston, and Ted McMinn, grew up in Maxwelltown.
Museums and Landmarks
The old Dumfries Mill is now the Robert Burns Centre. It's a great place to visit with a museum, a cinema, and a restaurant. You can also find the Dumfries Museum and Observatory higher up on a hill. It has a Camera Obscura, which is a cool way to see the view using mirrors and lenses. The Sinclair Memorial, a statue of Old Mortality and his pony, is also nearby.
The former Benedictine Convent of the Immaculate Conception is a large building on Corbelly Hill. HMP Dumfries, a prison, is located at Jessiefield. The old Maxwelltown Burgh Court House, where local laws were once handled, is now used as flats.
Transport in Maxwelltown
The Maxwelltown railway station was in the Summerhill area. It was part of the Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway line. However, this station closed down in 1965.
