Lochmaben

Lochmaben (Gaelic: "Loch Mhabain") is a small town in Scotland, and site of a once-important castle. It lies four miles west of Lockerbie, in Dumfries and Galloway.

Early inhabitants

The name "Loch Mhabain" is possibly a corruption of "Loch Mhaol Bheinn" ("Lake on the bare mountain"), or may mean "Loch of Mabon", an ancient Brythonic god, as the Roman name of the area was Locus Maponi, according to the Ravenna Cosmography. It has been inhabited since earliest times due to its strategic position on the routes from England to Scotland and Ireland, to the small lochs surrounding it and to the relatively fertile soil in the area. The first inhabitants may have lived in crannogs in the lochs.

Lords of Annandale

By 1160, the Anglo-Norman de Brus (Bruce) family, had become the Lords of Annandale. Robert de Brus Lord of Skelton in the Cleveland area of Yorkshire , was a notable figure at the court of King Henry I of England, where he became intimate with Prince David of Scotland, that monarch's brother-in-law. When the Prince became King David I of Scotland, in 1124, Bruce obtained from him the Lordship of Annandale, and great possessions in the south of Scotland. (de Brus was nevertheless buried at Guisborough, the place of his birth).

Castle, and wars

At some point in the 13th century the Bruces built a castle, probably a Keep, at Lochmaben, the remains of which now lie under a golf course. It is claimed that King Robert I of Scotland (Bruce) was born there, which is why the town adopted the motto "From us is born the liberator king" (in Latin) on its coat of arms. However this claim is relatively late, it cannot be ruled out, but his birthplace was more likely Turnberry Castle. Bruce certainly battled the English over this area during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

King Edward replaced the castle with a much sturdier structure at the south end of Castle Loch around 1300 and its remains still show the massive strength of its defences. Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, with the assistance of the Earls of March and Douglas, after a siege of nine days, took Lochmaben Castle from the English and "razed it to the ground" (probably meaning it was burnt) on the 4th February 1384/5. The castle and barony became a possession of the Earls of March, but when the 10th Earl was forfeited and then reinstated, in 1409, it is noted that it was "with the exception of the castle of Lochmaben and the Lordship of Annandale."

The Battle of Lochmaben Fair was fought on 22 July, 1484. A force of 500 light horsemen led by Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany and James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas invaded Scotland, but were defeated.

On the 16 January 1508/9, at Edinburgh, Sir Robert Lauder of The Bass (d.1517/8), knight, was appointed "Captain and Keeper of the King's castle and fort of Lochmaben, with all pertinentes" and other privileges etc., for three years.

Lochmaben remained important and had a turbulent history until after 1600 by which time the castle had seen its last siege and was gradually abandoned.

Town

The town had prospered and become a Royal Burgh in 1447, and a Royal Charter in 1579. Its importance waned with the peace that was became the norm, but it had sufficient resources to build a substantial Tolbooth (later the Town Hall) in 1723. The railway came in 1863, with Lochmaben a stop on the Dumfries to Lockerbie line, and brought easy communication both north and south. Like many branch lines it succumbed to the “axe” in the 1960s.

Lochmaben Hospital was opened in 1905 as an infectious diseases hospital but, with the virtual demise of these diseases, it is now a modern 16 bed community facility caring for both physical and psychiatric problems. Lochmaben Primary School is one of the largest in Annandale. The school moved to newer more modern premises in 1982. It also has an 18 hole golf course surrounding the kirk loch on the edge of the town. There are 2 convenience stores at each end of the town. Several successful businesses are also in the town and the town is once again thriving with many houses planned to be built over the next ten years. It has a doctors surgery.

The town has suffered genteel poverty in past times but it now prospers on a mix of agriculture, light industry and tourism with significant numbers commuting the short distance to Dumfries. The town is well found with a broad main street and the town is set in rolling countryside. The town’s lochs thrive with both sailing and fishing taking place throughout the year.

Notable people

Angus Douglas

References

* "The Visitation of Yorkshire, 1563/4", by William Flower, Norroy King of Arms, and edited by Charles B. Northcliffe, M.A., of Langton, London, 1881, p.40
* "The Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire", by Sir Bernard Burke, C.B.,LL.D., Ulster King of Arms, &c., London, 1883, p.80.
* "Scottish Kings", 1005-1626, by Sir Archibald H Dunbar, Bt., Edinburgh, 1899.
* "The Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland", edited by M.Livingstone, I.S.O., vol.1, 1488-1529, Edinburgh, 1908, number 1799, pps: 273/274.

ee also

*Lochmaben Stone
*Battle of Sark

External links

* A summary of Lochmaben, including accommodation and activities can be found at [http://www.visitsouthernscotland.com/area/attraction_detail.asp?townid=&sectionid=0&attractionid=2825 visitsouthernscotland.com] .

* The Lochmaben and District Community Initiative website can be found at [http://www.lochmaben.org.uk lochmaben.org.uk] , providing information about the community of Lochmaben and the surrounding district for residents and visitors.