|
Gretna Green village and Gretna town are
next to each other in Dumfries & Galloway
south Scotland, on the border with England,
next to the A74 / M6 motorway, 23 miles
southeast of Dumfries.
Gretna Green is popular for Runaway Weddings
at the famous Blacksmiths, Museum at the
Blacksmiths, large Shopping Centre, and its
many Hotels.
For Images on Mobile swipe right
Click On Map
for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top is of the Old Blacksmiths in
Gretna Green where most of the Weddings take
place, around 1,500 per year.
The image second top is of the Sculpture
Garden at the Old Blacksmiths, opened by Britt
Ekland in 1994, with the Big Dance added in
2010 by Ray Lonsdale from County Durham, a
popular place for photos under his
Monument.
This is now one of the top attractions in
Scotland, attracting tourist from around the
world.
The Old Blacksmiths Museum shows living
conditions and dresses from when Weddings began
here in 1754.
There are three Marriage Rooms with the
Original room seen right. Ceremonies take about
20 minutes. If you are visiting the Museum when
a ceremony is taking place, you know when the
couple are wed when you hear the Hammer hitting
the Anvil.
You can only view this room between
ceremonies.
The two other Marriage Rooms are next door,
The Sadlery and Rennison Room.
The Museum also has a number of Vintage
Carriages on display, a large Souvenir Shop,
Restaurant and Shops.
Gretna Hall Hotel in Gretna Green has
a Coachouse also popular for Weddings, as seen
right. The Hall also has Scenic Gardens for
Wedding photos. The Hall was built in 1710,
later converted to a Coaching Inn, then began
Weddings in 1885.
Gretna Old Parish
Church is in Gretna Green centre, also
popular for wedding ceremonies. The earliest
parts of the Church date to the 1600s, although
much of what can be seen today dates to the
early 1900s.
Gretna Green
Railway Station is behind the Church with a
large car park. The Station allows travel
between Gretna Green and Dumfries, Carlisle and
Glasgow.
Gretna Town is on the west side of the M6 /
A74 Motorway with its top attraction being the
Caledonia Park
Shopping Centre, formerly the Gretna Gateway
Shopping Centre.
Caledonia Park has a good selection of Shops
and Eateries, popular with the vast numbers of
tourists visiting the area.
The Old Toll Bar is in
Gretna town right next to the border with
England, first or last building in Scotland.
The Old Toll also provides Wedding Ceremonies,
over 10,000 since 1830. The Bar is also popular
for meals and has a Cafe.
Gretna & Gretna Green History
1612 - a custom post was set up at Gretna
Green to collect Taxes on Cattle crossing the
border, leading to growth in the area.
1754 - an Act of Parliament was introduced
in England that restricted Marriage in England,
including preventing the Marriage of anyone
under 21, unless they had their parents or
guardians consented.
The Act did not apply to Scotland, leading
to many young couples running off to Gretna
Green, first town in Scotland.
Many Marriages were carried out by
Blacksmiths, tradesmen regarded as the most
respectable of the time.
1857 - an English Act of Parliament stated
marriages in Scotland would only be recognized
in England if one of the couple had been
resident in Scotland for at least three weeks
before the wedding, leading to a reduction in
Weddings.
1914 - during WWI, the town of Gretna
evolved to house workers at a huge Munitions
Factory close by on the Sloway Firth.
1940 - Marriages in Scotland by non
Clergyman or Official Registrar were outlawed,
leading to a reduction of Marriages at
Gretna.
1994 - restrictions on Marriages were
lifted, allowing Anvil Weddings to take place
at Gretna and Gretna Green again, although they
then had to be carried out by a Clergymen.
2002 - Registrars are also allowed to carry
out Anvil Weddings.
|
