Torthorwald is a veelage an ceevil pairish in the historical coonty o Dumfriesshire in Dumfries an Gallowa, Scotland. It is locatit 3.7 mile east o Dumfries on the A709 road tae Lochmaben. The aurie wis the haudin o the de Torthorwald faimily until the end o the 13t century, whan the estate passt bi mairiage til the Clan Kirkpatrick. In 1418, William de Carleil mairit the Kirkpatrick heiress. He micht hae been the builder o Torthorwald Castle, that wis biggit aroond this time, possibly on tap o an earlier motte.[1] Torthorwald wis upset as a burgh o barony in 1473.[2] Torthorwald Castle wis occupee'd until 1715; anely taw o its waws staund yet, tae a hicht o aboot 59 fit.[1]
The pre-Reformation kirk at Torthorwald belangt til the Trinitarian Freers o Fail Monastery in Ayrshire.[3] The praisent pairish kirk wis biggit in 1782 on the site o this earlier steid.[4] Torthorwald is noo within the unitit Pairish o Kirkmichael, Tynwald, an Torthorwald, that wis creatit in 1981.[3] The 19th century missionar John Gibson Paton (1827-1907) growed up in Torthorwald. His evangelical wark in the New Hebrides (in whit is noo the kintra Vanuatu) is commemorated in the kirk yett piers.[5]
Anither kenspeckelt biggin is a 19t century cruck-frame't an thackit cot. Replenisht in the 1990s, the cot is pertectit as a Category A leetit biggin[6] an is mainteent bi a local heritage association.[7] The veelage haes a hottle, a veelage haw, an umwile haed a primary schuil that closed in 2010.[8] An Annual Tattie-Bockie Fun Day involves veelagers upsettin tattie-bockies in thair front gairdens.[9]
Thare is a frequent bus service tae Dumfries that taks aboot 15 meenits. The veelage wis umwhile served bi the nearby Racks railwey station that closed in 1965.