Amble Around Annan

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Annan Through the Ages - Closes & Buildings

2023 Ambles Around Annan

🥾 Closes/Wynds and Buildings in Annan.

- 2 km (approx 1m)

- 1hour (approx)

- NOT a circular route.

- Click/tap on a photo to enlarge it and give you the pictures as a slideshow.

- Please take care near roads.

Background map downloaded from OS OpenData under 0pen Government License

As we move around on this walk please be aware that some of the closes/wynds still contain people's homes so please respect their privacy.

We will also look at some of the other beautiful buildings on the streets of Annan as we amble around but for many of them you will need to look up to see their features. Pillars, scrolls, sea shells can all be found when you start looking at the work of past builders in the town. At times it may be helpful when 'looking' at the buildings to be on the opposite side of the street.

Following the development of production methods and manufacturing processes and the coming of the railway people flocked to towns looking for work and homes. As a result there was a huge increase in building, especially during the reign of Queen Victoria. There were new homes being built for all classes of society - from working class terraced houses to substantial middle-class homes and upper-class mansions. Many of the distinguished buildings in Annan are classed as being from the Victorian era but as Victoria reigned for over 60 years there are differences in style within that time, but common characteristics include steeply pitched roofs, ornate gables, finials, turrets or towers, bay windows and columns.

We begin this walk at Bridge House. Looking at the plans drawn up for the new bridge of 1824 we see various closes and wynds around the Town Hall. Wynd is the name for a narrow lane between houses and those in Annan have contained houses, gardens, pigsties, stables, cowsheds and other small businesses. Many were lost when the 'new' Town Hall was built in 1878 and again when the modern extension was added in 1980. Battery Brae had a flesher's market, weaving shop, bakehouse, smithy and granary. It became Battery Street in 1888.

Port Street, also known as Strut Row, was a narrow thoroughfare next to Bridge House which was widened by the demolition of buildings on the other side of Bridge House in the 1970's. A wynd called Tweedie's Court had already been demolished next to Bridge House to make way for a garage forecourt, which also disappeared with the widening.

The council decided to buy Bridge House in 1802 as an Academy for boys. Edward Irving and Thomas Carlyle were there for part of their education. What an impressive building to have as your school! See our online blog: Annan Through the Ages: Schools for more information.

Opposite Bridge House is the Town Hall. Once Annan became a Royal Burgh it meant the town was entitled to a tolbooth - one of 3 essential features of a scottish burgh, along with a mercat cross and a kirk. A tolbooth was the main municipal building of a scottish burgh from medieval times until the 19th century and usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail.
Burghs had the right t hold markets and levy customs and tolls, and tolbooths were originally established for collection of these. They were governed by an elected council, led by a provost and baillies, who acted as magistrates with jurisdition over local crime. The tolbooth developed into a central building providing for all these functions. Most tolbooths had a bell, often mounted on a steeple, and later clocks were added. The mercat, or market, cross started out as a cross-shaped structure although the ‘cross’ was often replaced with a small statue or a carved stone showing the arms of the burgh. It was the place around which market stalls would be arranged and merchants would gather to discuss business. It was the focal point for civic ceremonies such as the Riding of the Marches and civil proclamations would also be read out to the public from them. Annan’s Mercat Cross was originally built in front of the Town Hall.
It was made of blocks of sandstone of sufficient height that wares could be displayed on it. The ‘Fish Cross’ as it became known was moved in 1774 to the junction of the High Street and Butts Street. A marker was left in place at the Town Hall, which you can still see today. An engraved marker in the centre stating 'John Nicholson Provost 1883' reflects Nicholson's influence in getting the High Street paved in that year. The whereabouts of the original Fish Cross is unknown after its removal in 1903 from the High St/Butts St junction.

Annan built a church in the 17th century (hence the graveyard next to the council offices/town hall) to stand in front of its Tolbooth but 1723 saw a thatched building erected to serve as a church, tolbooth and town hall putting the original church into disuse. This building was eventually deserted and the parish church further along the High Street was built in 1789). In 1857 the old Town Hall and prison cells were demolished so a more fitting hall could be provided for Annan. A competition for its design had five entrants, from whom Peter Smith of Glasgow was chosen. Work building the Town Hall, which stands on the site of Robert the Bruce’s old castle and tower, began in 1875. John Graham, a stonemason from Annan, used local sandstone in Smith’s design echoing the Scottish Baronial style.

Design in RoM 2017 and reality in 1914 (Old Annan on Facebook)

An Annan merchant, Thomas Chalmers, left money in his will for the provision of a clock, which cost £135. There was also a niche placed above the door but this was not filled until 2010 when a committee raised £40000 for the sculpture of Robert the Bruce, by Andrew Brown, to be added.
The new Town Hall was officially opened by Sir J Heron Maxwell, of Springkell in January 1878. To mark the opening there was a fireworks display and children received a bun and an orange! The ground floor was used as court/meeting room but the first floor chamber was a most impressive room with stained glass displaying the town coat of arms.
In 1980 a large modern extension was added and the early 2000’s dry rot saw the need for more restoration. However it is a grade B Listed Building, which means it is of regional importance and is a very imposing building on the High Street.

As we walk along the High Street, opposite the Town Hall and before you get to the Police Station there is a gated entrance to Pools Court. It has had stables, gardens, a bacon stove, joiners shop and a warehouse recorded there at different times. The Pool family were grocers and wine merchants on the High Street. This entrance was preserved when a new Social Housing project was developed here in 2020 and the naming of Baird's Wynd, just next door, refers to an Annan business that was here for many years. The tiled shop entrance way was also preserved.

On the opposite side of the street you can see the car parking area outside the Town Hall which was once where the Market was held. The market cross was originally here but was moved and subsequently lost.

Turning right by the Police Station would take you along Greencroft Wynd - previously known as Potts or Colonel's Wynd. Greencroft House was a large mansion with gardens and in 1811 Colonel Douglas lived here which could explain why it was known as Colonel's Wynd. Later let to James Rae, Builder & Contractor and later still in 1985 to Crombie as a Builder's Yard. The grade B listing of the building calls it Greencroft House (Crombie's Workshop).
Behind the Police Station, in what is now their car park area, was Lawsons Court. At different times recorded here have been a salthouse, barn, warehouse, stable and even killing barn.

Just past Francis the baker is the entrance to Poplar Court. Francis' have been here since 1927 having been founded in 1913 in Edinburgh.In 1895 this shop, was the Post Office in Annan. It was here until 1898 when it moved to the impressive building in Bank Street which we will see later.Poplar Court houses the bakery for the shop on the High Street but the court has had a photographic studio, stable, public house, writing offices, and tailor's workshop recorded here as well as a bakehouse.

On the opposite side of the street you can see the War Memorial situated in what was once Market Square. Bruce Street which leads off the High Street here was once much narrower and ironmonger and saddler shops were demolished to make it wider although the new police station was later built here in the 1970's. Bruce Street has also been known as Lady's Well Wynd (because of Lady's well) and Toot Hill.
As we walk further along the High Street, past the Queensberry Hotel, it is worth mentioning that the oldest building in Annan is believed to be the dovecot behind the Queensberry Arms Hotel, with a datestone of 1690.

Pigeons were once a valuable source of fresh meat and Annan has two listed dovecotes, the other being behind Francis' the bakers, showing how valuable the meat was.

The arched doorway at the Queensberry Arms Hotel was originally the way through to the stables when it was a staging post for coaches.
A little further along it is possible to access the car park behind the Queensberry to see the dovecote through Chalmers Court but please then return to the High Street. Numerous members of the Chalmers family had shops, bacon stoves and even a public house in this court.

Continue along the High Street but notice that next to TOFS is a passageway leading towards the North Burn. This is Hay's Place. The Old Kings Arms was a pub along this close and there are just a couple of window spaces to show where it was. A stable, workshop and bakehouse were also recorded here and when there was a petrol pump on Market Square the associated garages and workshops were here too. Today you can walk down here and enter the next close from the rear.

The next close is unique in that is has one name on one side and a different name on the other - Hare's Den and Fairfield Place/Court. Hare's Den is where the infamous grave robber William Hare supposedly lodged when passing through Annan. In the 1820's Hare and his accomplice William Burke made a living supplying bodies for medical research, whether grave robbing or murder. Hare turned against Burke and escaped the death penalty although his partner in crime was executed. Whether this close is named after William Hare though is debateable. People also recall a shop selling game down here - that may well have had hares etc hanging outside.

This close originally had an upstairs covering the entrance to the High Street and despite being very narrow photos exist of a car coming through from a garage! Stable, smithy, bacon stove, woodyard and a tailor's shop have also been recorded here. The right hand side became Fairfield Court in 1895.
According to a report in the Annandale Observer in 1858 the Crown and Thistle pub occupied the whole of the left hand side from the High Street to the North Burn.
On the other side, on Fairfield Place, was a Billiard Hall accessed by an outside stairway.

Continue along the High Street to the traffic lights and prepare to turn right along Bank Street but before that there are other buildings to mention here ..

On the corner behind you is Regent House. This building was commissioned in the mid 1890's and built by George McIldowie in 1899. George Thomson & Son were advertising there in the early 1900's but it was later sold to W&J Armstrong who advertised it in the 1920's as Annan's Fashion Emporium. It is now Ladbrokes betting shop.

1902 D Watt directory

1902 D Watt directory & P&V Russell

Some of the original features such as the carved wreaths can still be seen today but others have been adapted or altered. The design of Regent House may well have given inspiration to the architect of Argyle House, further along the High Street, (now Subway).

On the opposite corner is the very ornate and aptly named Corner House Hotel. It was built as a Temperance Hotel in 1900 for the Wilson Bros who had the grocery at Number 78. FJ Carruthers of Dumfries & Lockerbie was the architect for this building - as for the Corner House.

Annan Museum

Have you ever really 'looked' at this building and noticed just how ornate it is? Well now is the time!

Next door is William Hill, with its decorations.

Down the hill past the Corner House there used to be a Masonic Lodge which led to the street being

called Lodge Wynd. Lady Street was further on until the Lodge was demolished and the road widened, when it all became Lady Street.

On the High Street, just before the Corner House, - between McColls and Jandera is a metal gate - we think this is Wilkins Wynd, with shops, offices and the Black Bull public house recorded along it. These days it leads to the rear of The Shed and the gate is unlocked when the pub is open.

Back to the corner of Bank Street we can see what used to be the Grand Hotel (at 73/75 High Street). It was built in 1846 in the classical style for Mr Halliday with a porch on sturdy paired columns. Mr Halliday was the owner of an estate at Whinnyrigg. He was hoping to cater for the busy coach trade in Annan but the arrival of the railway in 1848 brought about the decline of the coach trade and the hotel closed - soon becoming known as Hallidays folly. We presume this was why Bank Street was once called Halliday Street which census records tell us was until 1858/59. The building was later a bank and is now a Travel Agent & Charity shop.

Bank Street has housed a variety of buildings - the Police Station, Library, Market Halls, and Museum have been here at different times but there have also been temperance hotels, a school for young ladies, a post office and two churches along this Street!

The first building along here was the old Police Station, until 1975 when a new one was built on the High Street - at Number 75 (where DGHP is now but before the modern Police Station was built opposite the Town Hall in 2002) The original Police Station was built in 1882.

The Free Library & Reading Room was funded by Andrew Carnegie to the tune of £3000 and was built by McIldowie in about 1906. The lending library was on the ground floor while the first floor had longtables and chairs with a selection of magazines and newspapers. The second floor was similar.

The Victoria Halls/Market Halls complex behind, but connected, to this building was built by Hugh Ker. He had a furnishing warehouse on the opposite side of Bank Street too.

Guide to Annan & Neighbourhood by D Watt

A renovation of the building in 1991 saw a museum and exhibition space established on 2 floors of the former library.
As we move further along Bank Street the sad state of Erskine church is noticeable before you see the old Post Office building. Opened in 1898 with the ground floor having a public office, the postmasters office, a telephone room and a sorting office. Upstairs was accommodation for the post master and his family. At the time this was Patrick McGiverin from Newton Stewart who had moved with the Post Office from 39 High Street. Previous to that it had been at 61-63 High Street with George Pool as the first Postmaster. Built by Hugh Ker, this impressive building closed in 1994 as the Post Office moved to Walter Willson's Supermarket in Butts Street. It now houses a Citizen's Advice Bureau.

a turn of the century photo in RoM 1987

A couple of doors along we see the 19th century building that housed the British Linen Bank and Manager's house, now a grade A listed building. The British Linen Company was founded in 1746 to promote the linen industry but moved into banking in the 1760's and changed its name to the Linen Bank in 1906. In 1919 Barclays acquired the bank, until 1969 when the Bank of Scotland took over and used it as the merchant banking side of their business until 1999. It was later part of HBOS and Lloyds and in 2000 the British Linen Bank finally closed its headquarters in Edinburgh.

There is a short detour that could be taken here - into St John's Road. Walk the full length and reach what used to be the Central Hotel. Many of the buildings we pass are lovely red sandstone buildings with a variety of features. Rowanbank House has a crest and dragons!
FJ Carruthers (architect for the Corner House) was also the architect for the Central Hotel, built at a similar time to the Temperance/Corner House Hotel. It was commissioned by a Mr Cowan but he died before it was completed. Turreted façades and columns were a trademark of his designs.

Devil's Porridge

Just over the road, within the Academy grounds you would just be able to see what was Greenknowe Public School, although it is now part of the Academy. Much of the work was completed by Annan builders J&G McIldowie.

RoM 1985

More modern buildings were added to the site in the 1960’s but the old building is still in use.
If you took the detour return back along St John's Road which did not exist until the late 1800's.
The house at Number 1 is where, in 1864, the son of Hugh Ker (previously mentioned furniture warehouse in Bank Street) built his family home, as you can see from the date stone high up above the window.

Another short detour to the right here will take us along Ednam Street. The 'new' academy building was built here in 1820 by Hugh Ker to the design of Thomas Brown of Annan. Scotlands Places records Hugh Ker’s version as a ‘neat plain building, surrounded by a large playground; it is large enough to afford accommodation for 200 scholars, the average number of attendance is about 150’. His son later enlarged the building in the 1890’s.

RoM 1985

Annan Academy website

... but to return to Downie's Wynd. This has also been known as Baillie Saunders Wynd after a Baillie of the town. Vine Court was a small square near the garages here, although there is also mention of a Gavin's Court too. A pub called The Vine is marked on old maps.
We then pass the back of the Victoria/Market Halls complex as we head back towards the High Street.

Just before you reach the High Street you will come to Conchie's Court, which gives access to homes that back onto the High Street or are above High Street shops. We have no idea why this is so named but if anyone can enlighten us we would love to know.

To your left as you reach the High Street there is a rather sad-looking, empty building at number 77-81. The date 1730 and the initials AI IG are engraved on the lintel.

Back on the High Street we see The Buck Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Annan. The sun dial on the front has its own listing. The close next to it is known as Buck Close. The Buck has a very old yard through these gates which used to go a long way back before Galloway Carpets and Farmers Den were built on Lady Street. A ballroom and a billiard room were listed here as well as stables from the coaching inn days. If you look along the close and you can still see the metal guide rails that kept carriages off the walls.

Turning right we move along to the Café Royal. A small courtyard off to the right here was Williamson's Court named after Provost Williamson who had a house here. There is also a plaque on the building that records that Robert Burns lodged here in 1792 and wrote 'The Deil's awa' wi'th the exciseman whilst here. Stables and a joiners workshop were recorded in this court.

The other side of the Café is Shanklands Court where there used to be a bacon stove. A bacon stove was really a big shed where the bacon was hung and smoked. Bacon curing was a big business in Annan and stoves were found all over Annan and the area. This particular bacon stove was in a very handy spot - just next to the pork market on the High Street.
John Shankland was the owner of Burn's Tavern which stood here with stables, bacon stove and bakehouse to the rear.

This Court also had 6 to 8 houses and was still inhabited until the 1940's.

Raymond Walker Old Annan

Across the road, next to The Annandale Observer office building, is Dickswell Wynd - not that it has a street name to tell you that! Dick's Well was down here although there is no evidence of it now. The Albert Hotel was demolished from its position here which enlarged the way through,

The only un-named close/wynd is just a little further along between Harper, Robertson & Shannon (estate agent) and Glendinning (gents outfitter). In 1332 Edward Balliol was supposed to have camped in this close but was surprised in a dawn attack and fled in just his shirt tails. Locals call this Glendinning Close (unofficially) as the Glendinnings have had their shop here since 1882.

Continuing along the High Street behind TLC, was Kerr's Court. The Kerr family had a builder's yard on Butts Street and were responsible for building quite a lot of Bank Street and St. John's Road.

We now reach the junction of the High Street with Butts Street and Murray Street. Fish Cross, as it is known, was where Annan fishermen sold their produce. The Murray family of Murraythwaite and Ednam were given lands here - hence the street names. There are a few courtyards in this area too - Thorntree Place, off Murray Street, being one of them.

We find 3 small closes at this junction - Farm Foods car park had cottages here with a back yard called Scamblers Court, named after Henry Scambler who owned the premises.

Between the restaurant and hairdressers are gates which led to Globe Close. The Globe Hotel was here at one time and a short way along Butts Street, behind the restaurant, would be the entrance to Scaife's Close. there was a petrol pump at this location and a garage workshop down the alley. As cars increased in size the cottages were demolished and the garage and pumps of Scaife's Garage were in Farm Foods car park.

Through the Lens, RoM magazine & P&V Russell

At the junction with Murray Street we also see Argyle House, which was rebuilt in the early 1900's by James E McLean.

The 1908 Annandale Observer reported on the project and even gave details of those who would be working on the building.

1908 Annandale Observer

Features from the original building can still be clearly seen today.

Moving on we pass The Commercial Inn - another old coaching inn in Annan. They obviously had stables at the back of the building but the entrance has been moved although above the left hand window you can still just see 'stabling' on the stone. Presumably larger carriages and then the advent of cars meant the entrance needed enlarging/moving.

As we move towards the Parish church there is evidence of a demolished building - it used to go as far as the pedestrian gateway into the church. It's demolition allowed the entrance to the church to be enlarged for vehicles.

Just next to the Parish Church we have Hammonds Close/Dickson's Close. This led originally into Hammond & Douglas Gardens/Nursery which covered a large area here.

Continue along Church Street, passing Cumberland Terrace to Solway Street - also known previously as the Slack and Calflands Wynd. Going further along Solway Street will eventually bring you to Hecklegirth where there are more lovely sandstone buildings to look at but we are continuing to walk on.

Opposite Solway Street is Threadneedle Street (so named because a tailor lived/worked here) but there are also Newbie Place, Stanley Place, Johnstone Place and Mafeking Place. Each small block of cottages here had their own close leading to a back yard. These back yards are often recorded as having industries such as saw pits and tanneries in them. We turn around here to return along the High Street but towards St. Columba's church there is evidence on maps of a rope walk. A rope walk is a long straight narrow lane where long strands of material are laid before being twisted into rope.

We now return along the High Street to our starting point.

It may have been quite a short amble but there is much history to discover - and there are still other closes/courts/wynds around Annan. We would encourage you to keep looking up for architectural features, there are plenty more! Here are just a few more that we haven't even mentioned!

If you have any further information, documents, photos or memories about anything in this blog - or can correct any mistakes - please let us know in the comments section at the bottom or on Annan The History Town Group Facebook page.

Monday, January 9, 2023

Annan Through the Ages - schools

In 2022 we began a series of ambles around the streets of Annan This is the first of our 2023 ambles.

🥾 Schools – through the ages
- 2-3 km (approx 2m)
- 1-2 hrs (approx)
- NOT A CIRCULAR ROUTE
- Click/tap on a photo to enlarge it and give you the pictures as a slideshow.
- Please take care near roads.

Background map downloaded from OS OpenData under 0pen Government License

We begin this Amble at the Town Hall. Annan built a church here in the 17th century (hence the graveyard next to the council offices/town hall) to stand in front of its Tolbooth. From medieval times a Tolbooth or Town House was the main municipal building of a Scottish Burgh, and usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail.

1723 saw a thatched building erected to serve as church and tolbooth, putting the original church into disuse. The new building grew, eventually having a slated roof and adding a tower and clock but the old Town House and prison cells were eventually demolished so that a more fitting Town Hall could be provided for Annan. The building of the Town Hall as we now know it began in 1875 with the modern extension added in 1980.

1824 National Library of Scotland

1859 National Library of Scotland

In 1666 Annan Burgh school was to be found near the burial ground, behind what was then the Town House. In 1616 every parish had been told that they had to have a school house, with masters paid for by heritors. Heritors were the landed proprietors of the parish, and were liable for the payment of public burdens connected with the parish, including the provision of schools.

From the Town Hall cross over into Port Street and pass the imposing Bridge House.

At the beginning of the 19^th century laws meant the council were obliged to build an academy and endow it. Bridge House had previously been an inn but was bought by the Town Council in 1802 to use as the academy until they could afford to build a new one.
The first Rector of the Academy here was William Dalgliesh from Lockerbie and he had two teachers, Adam Hope (from Annan) and John Finlinson (from Wigton).
In 1819 the council decided to put the building up for auction to raise funds for a new academy building. Mr Benson of the Queensberry Hotel bought it.
There will be more about the original, and current, Academy later.

Before the Academy was in Bridge House however …

Follow Port Street ...

until you come to a house, called Scaurbank, set back in its own grounds. In 1739 the Burgh School building was taken down from Battery Street and re-erected in Common Loaning, now known as Port St., in the area where Scaurbank house is now.

The first headmaster of the Academy at this time was Robert Hendrie and it cost 1/- per quarter for children to be taught English, 1/6d per quarter for the teaching of English, Writing & Arithmetic, and 2/- per quarter for the teaching of Latin and Writing. One shilling is the equivalent of 5p today.

Continuing down Port Street we find Nicholson Street off to the left.

The 1870 Act had made education compulsory for children between 5 and 14 years of age and as Factory Acts had already reduced the hours children were allowed to work, and raised the age at which they could be employed, many of the children attending school were known as half timers.
At Welldale Hall, along Nicholson Street was Willie Wright’s school. It opened in 1871 and was for many of the half timers employed at Nicholson & Pool’s weaving mill. It was one of the most popular schools in Annan with a popular headmaster. Valuation Rolls tell us that John Nicholson was the proprietor of the school and had a hall at number 9, could this have been the school?

RoM 1987

Turn left at the end of Nicholson Street and then right into Hallmeadow Place. There is now a choice of route - turning left into Greenmeadow Gardens will take you to a flight of steps. Cut through the houses onto McMurdo Road and a left turn takes you along Elmvale Cut.

If you prefer not to go up the steps continue along Hallmeadow Place and turn left into Wood Avenue, left into McMurdo Road and then right to Elmvale Cut.

Elmvale Cut runs between Annan Railway Station and Elmvale School. Education Acts in the early 20th century saw the division of education into primary and secondary education, the raising of the school leaving age and changes in curriculum and teaching methods. New buildings were needed and Annan erected 4 new primary schools with Elmvale being the most recent, in 1980.

On reaching the main road turn left and cross the railway bridge. To the right there are 2 semi-detached houses. We think these houses were originally a school called Garbits Parish School built at Greenknowe in 1840 by the Heritors of Annan. Valuation Rolls in 1855 tell us that Mrs Johnston was the proprietor of Garbits Parish School.

1859 National Library of Scotland

Continuing along St John’s Road takes us past Annan Academy but more of the history of this later. Take the right turn opposite the sad-looking Central Hotel and then turn left at the end to walk alongside the academy car park.

Following the blue sign, turn right and follow the walkway alongside the academy and past Hecklegirth Primary School, built in 1963, to reach Solway Street.
A detour can be taken here by turning right and walking down to 63 Hecklegirth, where you will see the house that was a Dame school until 1938, known as St Nicholas School. Dame schools were small establishments for young children run by widows and unmarried women in their own home. They would educate the children for a small fee, teaching reading, arithmetic and sometimes writing, alongside practical skills such as knitting and sewing.

If you do not turn right for the detour, turn left along Solway Street and just after passing Seaforth Terrace you will see the Drill Hall on the opposite side of the road.. It was the Annan Female and Infant School, or Infant & Industrial School, opened in 1834. At the time it opened most school attendees, at whatever type of school, were boys but Mrs Dirom, wife of the famous Alexander Dirom of Mount Annan, was influential in championing the education of girls.

At the end of Solway Street turn right to walk along Scotts Street until you find St Columba's RC church. The building next to St Columba's was the school before it had new buildings erected in Shawhill Road in 1962.

As we return down Scotts Street note the Welcome Hall on the corner of Charles Street which was also used by St Columba's school.

On the opposite side of the road, on Cumberland Terrace was Miss Thwaites Ladies School. Ann Thwaites in the census of 1861 was recorded as a music teacher at 7 Cumberland Terrace.

Turn right into Charles Street and follow the road until it bears left into Rose Street. These streets were not originally connected and although we do not know exactly where on Rose Street, we believe there was a school here. Valuation Rolls tell us that in 1856 Matthew Lorimer was a teacher in a house and schoolroom on Rose Street. He was here for many years and Valuation Rolls show the school was still there in 1865.

1859 National Library of Scotland

Continue along Rose Street where there is now another detour, if required. Turn right to join Butts St and then bear right opposite Spar into Newington Road. Go past the House That Was Built In A Day, over the roundabout and then right into Hospital Rd to find Newington Primary School. Newington was the first of the new primary schools for Annan, built in 1958.
If you do not want to do the detour at this time, turn left at the end of Rose Street and return to Fish Cross. Cross over into Murray Street and then right into Ednam Street. Along here on the right is the old Academy building. It was built in 1820 (as the date stone at the top of the building tells us) and was at first a single storey building, but 1895 saw another storey added and 1908 saw it extended again.

We believe Ednam Street was still being used for certain classes until the 1970's.

1832 National Library of Scotland

Turning right at the end of Ednam Street will take us back to the High Street where on the opposite side of the road we can see the Buck Inn.
1821 had seen the demolition of the Burgh School because it was unsafe and for many years the school had no permanent home. It occupied various rooms around the town such as the assembly rooms above the Fleshmarket, (behind the Town Hall) and the ballroom at the Buck Hotel.

In 1831 Mr Herbertson, a teacher at the school, finally appealed to the Court of Session for the provision of a school and a schoolmaster’s house, which led to the building of a new school. Now known as a Parish school rather than a Burgh school 1840 saw Garbits Parish School, at Greenknowe, come into existence on Station Road, as mentioned previously.

Continue along the High Street and turn left into Bank Street. The Seminary for Young Ladies opened on Bank St with Miss Bell as headmistress. Valuation Rolls tell us Janet Ann Bell was somewhere on Bank Street from 1872 to 1881 and according to the Census for 1881 she was a music teacher.

She was later succeeded by the Misses Macmaster. Mary and Elizabeth Macmaster came from Wigtown according to the Census of 1881. Their school became so popular that new premises were needed which they had built elsewhere. Find out more later ...

Further along Bank Street there was a well-known Annan half penny school - on the site of what is now St Andrew’s church. Run by Bryce Downie, a famous pupil was Hugh Clapperton (1788-1827). He was a naval officer and explorer of West and Central Africa.

Crossing diagonally into St John’s Road takes us to where the Misses Macmaster built, in 1880, their new school. Fendie Lodge was at 11 St John’s Road and Elizabeth Macmaster was a teacher of music. The house was later renamed Ravenswood.

Continuing along St John’s Road we come again to Annan Academy.
A new public school was built here, known as Greenknowe School, in 1894, by J McIldowie, J. Tweedie, JS Millar & George Laidlaw to replace Garbits school. It was designed by Mr Carruthers from Dumfries with a distinctive bell tower.

C. McIldowie on Annan & District Old Postcards & Pictures

This is when the old Garbits building was divided into 2 houses, one of which became a teachers house, possibly for the new school.
In 1895 the Annan Female and Infant school in Solway Street amalgamated with the Welldale School and the Greenknowe School. In 1921 the majority of Annan’s children attended Greenknowe School but it then amalgamated with Annan Academy in Ednam Street and became what we now know as Annan Academy. The old buildings with the bell tower were retained as the school library when, in the 1960’s, more modern buildings were erected.