Ecclefechan

**Ecclefechan** (Gaelic: *Eaglais Fheichein*) is a smaw veelage locatit in the historical coonty o Dumfriesshire in Dumfries an Gallowa in soothwast Scotland. 

The veelage is famous for bein the birthplace o Thomas Carlyle.

Ecclefechan lies in the dale o the Mein Watter, a burn that flowes intil the River Annan, 5 mile north o Annan, Dumfries an Gallowa an 8 mile nor'wast o the mairch wi England. The M74 motorwey rins north o the veelage an Junction 19 is juist nor'wast o the veelage.

The High Street o the veelage haes a burn that rins throu a cundie ablo it. This cundie wis biggit in 1875 bi Dr George Arnott at his ain expense.

## Etymology

The name *Ecclefechan* wis recordit as *Egilfeichane* in 1507, an micht be o Breetonic oreegin. The first element is *eglẹ:s*, meanin "a kirk" (c.f. Welsh *eglwys*). The seicont element is the equivalent o the Welsh *bechan*, meanin "wee". Comparable Welsh toponyms include Eglwysbach an Llanfechan.

A no sae likely explanation is that the name commemorates Féchín o Fore, a 7t century Irish saunt.

## Governance

Ecclefechan is in the UK pairlamentary constituency o Dumfriesshire, Clydedale and Tweedale. David Mundell is the praisent Scots Conservative Pairty Member o Pairlament.

Ecclefechan is pairt o the Sooth Scotland region in the Scots Pairlament, bein in the constituency o Dumfriesshire. Oliver Mundell o the Scots Conservative Pairty is the Member o the Scots Pairlament (MSP).

Afore Brexit for the European Pairlament its residenters votit tae elect MEPs for the Scotland constituency.

For local government purposes, it belangs til the "Annandale East and Esskdale Ward" o the Dumfries an Gallowa Cooncil aurie. The veelage disna hae its ain Pairish Cooncil.

## Places o interest

Thomas Carlyle's birthplace, "The Aircht Hoose" is a tourist attraction an haes been mainteened bi the National Trust for Scotland syne 1936. Accordin til the letters fae Carlyle written tae Charles Gavin Duffy in the simmer o 1846, his mither's ferm in Ecclefechan was at that time locatit in Scotsbrig. (Charles Gavin Duffy, 'Conversations with Carlyle, NY: Scribner's Son, 1892, pp. 18–20). 

*From Scotsbrig, Carlyle watched the construction of the [[Caledonian Railway]] and complained to Duffy of Ecclefechan's potato blight, and the abundance of railway navvies from [[Lancashire]], [[Ireland]], and [[Yorkshire]], finding his visit home disturbed by the "black potato-fields, and all roads and lanes overrun with drunken navvies" (ibid., pp. 19–20). Carlyle comments that "I find that the Irish are best on point of behaviour" because they sent their money home to their families and did not spent it on whiskey (ibid., p. 20).*

Ecclefechan lies at the fit o a lairge hillfort, Burnswark, that wis attackit in the Siege of Burnswark in 140.  Its flet tap rings the easins.

Hoddam Castle is locatit 2 mile fae the veelage centre.

No faur fae the veelage is the Robgill Tour, built bi the Clan Irvine. In the 1880s, an adjynin hame wis built. The tour wis ane o a nummer o biggins built alang the mairh as protection again incursions bi the Breetish.

## Namely residenters

* Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) - essayist, satirist, poleetical philosopher, historian. He is buirit in the Ecclefechan kirkyaird.

* Archibald Arnott (1772-1885) - doctor o Napoleon on Saunt Helena. Hi is buirit in the Ecclefechan kirkyaird an aw.

* William Harkness (1837-1903) - astronomer

## Cultur

Robert Burns (1759-1796) makkit a sang entitle't *The Lass O Ecclefechan*.

Ecclefechan haes links an aw til the Guinness faimily, the story o the Whistlin Pleuchboy o Ecclefechan unner the title *A Guiness With a Difference* wis produce't bi meenistrys an chairts the pleuchboy's influence unner God on the Guiness faimily.

"Oor Wullie" o The Sunday Post fame aince got a day aff schuil for spellin correct "Ecclefechan", an the Jocks an the Geordies o The Dandy aince myndit *The Great Battle o Ecclefechan*.

## Local produce

* **The Ecclefechan Tart** - it wan national prominence in late 2007 whan the supermercat Sainsbury's promotit it as an alternative tae mince pies at Christenmas, an the tarts sellt ower 50,000 packs in 2007. The tart is a mixtur o butter an dried fruits in a pastry shell. A version made bi the Moray confectioners Walkers is noo nationally available ootthrou the Unitit Kinrick.

* **The Fechan**, a blent Scotch whisky, whase label shaws The Aircht Hoose.

## References