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Ecclefechan is a Village in south Scotland,
22 miles north of Carlisle, under 1 mile
off the A74 / M6 motorway, 18 miles east of
Dumfries.
The village is popular for the Thomas
Carlyle Birthplace Museum and
Hoddom Castle
Caravan Park 2 miles southwest.
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for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top is of a Statue of Thomas
Carlyle at the north entrance to the
village.
The most notable building in the village is
the Ecclefechan Hotel in
the village centre on the High Street.
A short walk south of the hotel is the
Thomas Carlyle Birthplace Museum. Thomas Carlyle
was born here in 1795, becoming one of the most
prolific writers and social commentators of the
1800s.
Hoddom Parish Church is along Hoddom Road
from the hotel. Thomas Carlyle and his family
graves are in the graveyard at the church.
Carlyle died 5th February 1881 in London. He
had been offered interment in Westminster
Abbey, but wanted buried beside his parents in
Ecclefechan.
The Thomas Carlyle Birthplace house was
opened to the public in 1881. The house is
normally open 14 Apr - 30 Sep, Fri-Mon,
12.00-16.00. Best check the website before
visiting.
Between the Hotel and Church is the tower of
Hoddom School built in 1875. The school was
replaced by houses built around the Tower.
At the north side of the Village is
Ecclefechan Park with a plaque giving
information on the area from Roman times
on.
Ecclefechan History
80AD - the Romans built a fort to the east
of Ecclefechan.
155 - the Romans had to repair the fort
after being attacked by locals.
1100s - the lands of Hoddom around
Ecclefechan belonged to the Herries family.
1500s - Sir John Maxwell acquired Hoddom
after marrying the heiress Agnes, Lady
Herries.
The earliest parts of present day Hoddom Castle
were built at that time, just over 2 miles
southwest of Ecclefechan.
Repentance Tower was built around that time
on a hill as a watchtower for the castle.
1772 - Archibald Arnott was born in
Ecclefechan. He was Napoleon's doctor on St
Helena.
1730 - the Ecclefechan Hotel was built.
1788 - Stagecoaches traveling between
Glasgow and London began using the Village for
stopovers, with Ecclefechan being 77 miles
south of Glasgow.
The Stagecoaches would take 6 days to travel
the 400 miles between the two cities, traveling
up to 80 miles each day.
1795 - Thomas Carlyle was born in the
village.
1855 - Archibald Arnott dies at Ecclefechan,
he was buried at Hoddom Church.
1881 - Thomas Carlyle dies, he was buried at
Hoddom Church.
1950s - Hoddom Castle was abandoned, falling
into disrepair.
2000s? - the Hoddom Castle Caravan Park is
opened.
Today - Hoddom Castle has been included on
Historic Scotland's Castle Conservation
Register.
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