Last week we visited Castle Douglas in Dumfriesshire. Over the years we have, when on holiday, visited this bonny wee town. It was sad then to find so many closed buildings on King Street [the main thoroughfare] . Several hotels have closed since our last visit, including the Douglas Arms. I took the above photograph of the shoogly hotel sign, missing a ‘D’ and a ‘T’. In the photograph you may also notice an embedded sign and mileage post. I have included this sketch of it to make it readable:
Alas, this sign reminded me of a tombstone.
What follows is an incomplete timeline of the Douglas Arms
23 June 1814, Caledonian Mercury:
24 January 1829, Berkshire Chronicle:
3 June 1830, Gores Liverpool Advertiser:
11 October 1838, Worcestershire-Chronicle:
14 May 1851, Dumfries and Galloway Standard:
9 February 1856, Leeds Mercury:
29 July 1857, Dumfries and Galloway Standard:
9 November 1859, Dumfries and Galloway Standard:
4 April 1917, Dumfries and Galloway Standard:
21 June 1990, Galloway News:
6 October 1984, Field:
Tombstone in Kelton churchyard.