Closeburn, Dumfries an Gallowa

Closeburn (Scottish Gaelic: Cill Osbairn) is a veelage an ceevil pairish in Dumfries an Gallowa, Scotland. The veelage is on the A76 road 2.5 mile sooth o Thornhill. In the 2006 census, Closeburn haed a population o 1,119. Closeburn is recordit as Killosbern in 1185.^[1] The first element o the name is Gaelic cill "cell or kirk".^[2][3] The seicont element is a saunt's name, but no saunt haes been definite identified.

Atween 1849 an 1961 the veelage haed a railwey station. Awtho Closeburn railwey station is noo closed, the Glasgow South Western Line rins yet throu the veelage. The nearest stations is at Sanchar and Dumfries.

The veelage is the umwhile location o the Wallace Hall Academy, foondit in 1723 an noo sted in Thornhill. The umwhile schuilhuise, built in 1795 an incorporatin the oreeginal biggins fae the 1720s, is a Category A leetit biggin.^[4]

Situatit twa-thirds o ae mile east o the veelage is Closebourn Castle, a Category B leetit tour hoose that wis until 1738 the faimily seat o the Kirkpatrick faimily.^[5][6]

The River Nith is on the wastren boond o the pairish o Closeburn. The eastren pairt o the pairish conteens several hills, includin the 2,286 fit Queensberry hill, at the southren end o the Lowther Hills, pairt o the Soothren Uplands. Several burns flowe throu the aurie, an the cleuch an watterfaw at Crichope Linn, 3.5 mile nor'nor'east o Closeburn wis chosen bi Sir Walter Scott in his novelle Old Mortality as the lair o John Balfour o Burley.^[7]

The clachan Gaitlawbrig, 2.5 mile east o Thornhill, is on the boond o Closeburn an Morton pairishes near Crichhope Linn.

The nearby Brownhill Inn wis a fauvourite haunt o the poet Robert Burns while he wis wirkin as an excise man or gauger in the aurie, an wis the site o inspirational events that led til the bard writin several poems, odes, etc.

1. ↑ "KILLOSBERN, ECCLES., CLOSEBURN". Saints in Scottish Place-Names. Archived frae the original on 29 Mairch 2015. Retrieved 26 Mairch 2015.
2. ↑ Watson, W. J. (1926). The Celtic Place-Names of Scotland. Edinburgh and London. p. 167. Archived frae the original on 21 August 2014.
3. ↑ Nicolaisen, W. F. H. (2001). Scottish Place-Names. Edinburgh: John Donald. pp. 166.
4. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Wallacehall Assessment Centre (former Academy and Schoolhouse)  (Category A) (LB3953)". Retrieved 20 Mairch 2019.
5. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Closeburn Castle  (Category B) (LB4004)". Retrieved 20 Mairch 2019.
6. ↑ The Topographical, Statistical, and Historical Gazetteer of Scotland: A-H. A. Fullarton & Co. 1845. p. 228. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
7. ↑ Wilson, John Marius (1860). Nelsons' hand-book to Scotland: for tourists. T. Nelson. p. 36. Retrieved 27 September 2009.