Each year on the first Saturday in July, Annan celebrates the Royal Charter and the boundaries of the Royal Burgh are confirmed when a mounted cavalcade undertakes the Riding of the Marches. Entertainment includes a procession, sports, field displays and massed pipe bands. Annan's in America first migrated to New York and Virginia. Annandale Virginia is an early settlement which celebrates The Scottish Games annually.
The Mote of Annan formed the original home of the de Brus family, later known as the Bruces, lords of Annandale,[4] which most famously produced Robert the Bruce. It was at the Battle of Annan in December 1332 that Bruce supporters overwhelmed Balliol's forces to bring about the end of the first invasion of Scotland in the Second War of Scottish Independence. The Balliols and the Douglases were also more or less closely associated with Annan.[4]Annan Castle once stood in the old churchyard and was originally the church tower.
The Battle of Bruce's Acres was fought near Newbie Castle against the English in the 13th century.
Bruce's Well is a natural spring that lies on the edge of the River Annan just downstream of the Gala Burn and Glen. It is associated with Robert the Bruce as recorded by Historic Environment Scotland.
During the period of the Border lawlessness the inhabitants suffered repeatedly at the hands of moss-troopers and through the feuds of rival families, in addition to the losses caused by the Scottish Wars of Independence.[4] During his retreat from Derby, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed in the High Street at the inn where Back to the Buck now stands.
With the river embanked, Annan served as a maritime town whose shipyards built many clippers and other boats. A cairn on the jetty commemorates Robert Burns, who worked as an exciseman here in the 1790s. Although the port is now mainly dry, a few stranded boats remain.
A Harbour Trust was established in 1897 to improve the port.[4] The small Newbie Harbour lay on the other side of the River Annan near Newbie Mill and served the old Newbie Castle and barony.
By 1901, the population was 5,805, living principally in red sandstone buildings.[4]
The railway turntable in the National Railway Museum, York was manufactured by John Boyd and Co of Annan[6] in 1954. It is the only survivor of a small batch assumed to have been subcontracted from the main turntable manufacturing company, Cowans Sheldon.
The design and development of the railway turntable has, on occasion, been erroneously attributed to Annan because of the exhibit in the NRM.
In 2021, the town was affected by heavy rainfall and flooding, resulting in the collapse of two footbridges on the River Annan.
The Cuthbertson Memorial Bridge, down from Galabank and in view of the A75 bypass, was completed in 1957 in memory of Surgeon Lieutenant William Cuthbertson who died in the Second World War.
Meanwhile, the Diamond Jubilee Bridge, accessible from the Warmanbie road, was much older having been built in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's 60th year on the throne.
The local population was devastated by the bridges being swept away as they were symbolic, vital and important for the local community. The nearest crossing of the river is south at Annan Bridge and at the north it is Brydekirk.
[7]
Town colours
Annan, along with many other local settlements in the Dumfriesshire region, use the colours black and gold on the town's sports teams. A proposed flag was designed by Philip Tibbetts in 2017, but has yet to be adopted. However, the coat of arms of the town show the Bruce red saltire on gold background combination. Meanwhile, the Riding of the Marches common riding is synonymous with the royal blue and gold pairing.[8]
Landmarks
Just outside the town, the Chapelcross nuclear power station operated from 1959 to 2004 and is being decommissioned. The four cooling towers were demolished in 2007.
St. Columba's Church, 40 Scotts Street (Catholic Church) Built as a Congregational Church in 1794 became a Catholic church in 1839. Added to in 1904 by Charles Walker of Newcastle as the gift of the parish priest the Rev Canon Lord Archibald Douglas.[13]
There is also a local interchurch group, known as Annandale Churches Together.[14]
Cochran Boilers 1878, Cochran and Co, Annan, Engineers. James Taylor Cochran and Edward Compton started their company Cochran Boilers in Birkenhead, moving to Annan in 1897/ 98. Where it grew to be a major world wide exporter of Cochran Boilers. There in 1998 it celebrated its one hundred years in Scotland. It was Cochran who invented the famous Cochran Vertical Boiler. The boiler was an immediate success. ( the company also produced paddle steamers and two early submarines with novel steam plants ).
Annan Bridge, a stone bridge of three arches, built between 1824 and 1827, carries road traffic over the River Annan.[4] It was designed by Robert Stevenson and built by John Lowry. There is also a railway bridge[4] and a nearby pedestrian bridge over the Annan. It is still served by the Annan railway station, the old Solway Junction Railway station Annan Shawhill having closed to passengers in 1931 and freight in 1955. Newbie Junction Halt railway station briefly served the old Newbie Tile and Brickworks as well as the Cochran's Boiler Works that stood on the short Newbie Branch.
Outdoor activity
Annandale Way is a 53-mile (85 km) walking route[18] that was opened in September 2009.[19] The route runs through Annandale, from the source of the River Annan to the sea; it passes through the town of Annan and offers interesting walking both up river and down from the town.
Sport
Annan Athletic F.C. represent the town in association football and play at Galabank Stadium. The men’s team are semi-professional and play in the SPFL League One. The club also have a women’s team and various youth teams.
Annan RFC are the town’s rugby union side who play at Violetbank and have various men’s, women’s and youth teams.
Annan Town AFC and FC Annan are amateur association football teams that play at Everholm Park in Dumfries' Sunday Amateur Football League.
Annan Alligators are a swimming club.
ADAC are an athletics club.
Annan Pétanque Club were established in 2021.
The town has four defunct association football clubs:
Annan F.C. (1885-95) known previously as “Our Boys” played at the Cricket Field at Greenknowe. In 1894 they moved to a new cricket field at Closehead Park. They club shared a rivalry with a lesser known side from the town called Solway Rovers.[21]
