Dumfries
Dumfries
| |
|---|---|
| Town and administrative centre | |
Skyline of Dumfries Town Centre, with the River Nith in the foreground | |
Location within Dumfries and Galloway | |
| Population | 33,470 (2020) |
| Demonym | Doonhamer |
| OS grid reference | NX976762 |
| • Edinburgh | 63 mi (101 km) |
| • London | 285 mi (459 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DUMFRIES |
| Postcode district | DG1, DG2 |
| Dialling code | 01387 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Dumfries (/dʌmˈfriːs/ ⓘ dum-FREESS; Scots: Dumfries; from Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phris Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [ˌt̪un ˈfɾʲiʃ]) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, 25 miles (40 km) from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the historic county of Dumfriesshire.
Before becoming King of Scots, Robert the Bruce killed his rival John Comyn III of Badenoch at Greyfriars Kirk in the town in 1306. The Young Pretender had his headquarters here towards the end of 1745. In World War II, the Norwegian armed forces in exile in Britain largely consisted of a brigade in Dumfries.
Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South. This is also the name of the town's football club. People from Dumfries are known colloquially in Scots language as Doonhamers.