Torthorwald facts for kids
Torthorwald is a small village in south-west Scotland. It's part of Dumfries and Galloway. You can find it about 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) east of Dumfries. It sits on the A709 road, which goes towards Lochmaben.
Long ago, the land around Torthorwald belonged to a family called de Torthorwald. By the late 1200s, it became the property of the Kirkpatrick family through marriage. Later, in 1418, a man named William de Carleil married a Kirkpatrick heiress. He might have built Torthorwald Castle around that time. The castle was used until 1715. Today, only two of its walls are left, standing about 18 meters (about 59 feet) high.
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Village History
Torthorwald became a special type of town called a "burgh of barony" in 1473. This meant it had certain rights and a local leader.
The Old Church
Before the Scottish Reformation, the church in Torthorwald belonged to a group of monks called the Trinitarian Friars. They were from Fail Monastery in Ayrshire. The church building you see today was built in 1782. It stands on the same spot as the much older church.
Today, Torthorwald is part of a larger church area. This area is called the united Parish of Kirkmichael, Tinwald, and Torthorwald. It was created in 1981.
Famous People
A well-known missionary named John Gibson Paton (1824–1907) grew up in Torthorwald. He did important work helping people in the New Hebrides islands. There are special gate piers at the church that remember his work.
Interesting Places
Besides the castle ruins and the church, there's another cool old building in Torthorwald.
The Cruck Cottage
This is a 19th-century cottage built in a very old style. It has a "cruck" frame, which means its main wooden beams curve from the ground up to the roof. The roof is also made of thatch, which is dried straw or reeds.
The cottage was fixed up in the 1990s. It's now a protected building, called a "category A listed building." A local group helps to take care of it so people can see how homes used to be built.
Village Life Today
Torthorwald has a hotel where people can stay. It also has a village hall, which is a place for community events. The village used to have a primary school, but it closed in 2010.
Every year, the village holds a fun event called "Scarecrow Fun Day." During this day, people put scarecrows in their front gardens for everyone to enjoy.
Getting Around
It's easy to get to Dumfries from Torthorwald. There's a bus that runs often, and the ride takes about 15 minutes. The village also used to have a train station nearby called Racks railway station. However, that station closed down in 1965.
