Annan

History

Roman remains exist nearby. The Mote of Annan formed the original home of the de Brus family, later known as the Bruces, lords of Annandale, 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. 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. 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. The alumni of Annan Academy include Thomas Carlyle and Ashley Jensen. After the Acts of Union 1707, Annan, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, Lochmaben and Sanquhar formed the Dumfries district of burghs, returning one member between them to the House of Commons of Great Britain. Annan previously formed a constituency of the…

Geography

Historically part of Dumfriesshire, its public buildings include Annan Academy, of which the writer Thomas Carlyle was a pupil, and a Georgian building now known as "Bridge House". Annan also features a Historic Resources Centre. In Port Street, some of the windows remain blocked up to avoid paying the window tax. Annan stands on the River Annan—from which it is named—nearly from its mouth, accessible to vessels of 60 tons as far as Annan Bridge and 300 tons within of the town.

Most-observed species

• Carrion Crow

  Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,261
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,855
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,771
• eastern gray squirrel

  Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin, 1788 · Mammalia
  1,725
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,650
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,615
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,516
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,448

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2010-12-21
  12 km WSW of Ambleside, United Kingdom
• M 3.7 — 2009-04-28
  3 km WSW of Flookburgh, United Kingdom
• M 2.5 — 2008-05-28
  12 km WNW of Penrith, United Kingdom
• M 3.6 — 2006-12-26
  2 km NW of Dumfries, United Kingdom