Plan of the Towns of Dumfries and Maxwelltown
The earliest printed town plan of Dumfries, taken from a survey by John Wood made in 1819.
When Robert Burns exchanged the role of farmer for that of Exciseman he moved with his family from Ellisland Farm into a tenement flat in Bank Street, Dumfries, close to the Whitesands and the River Nith. The family lived here from 1791 until 1793 when they moved to a better quality house in Mill Street (now Burns Street).
Dumfries at that time was a lively town of some 5,600 inhabitants, mostly living tightly packed into tenement closes of red sandstone. The town was a busy port and in 1792 Burns was promoted to the Dumfries Port Division of the Excise.
This town plan shows the street plan of the town as Robert Burns would have known it. Many of the places he frequented in the town can be identified. The detail view the areas around both of his homes in the town.
Object no :
DMBN289
Collection :
Creator :
John Wood
Place of Production :
NA
Dimensions :
width: 595 mm, length: 695 mm
Materials :
paper
Location :
NA
Accession number :
DUMFM:1959.6
Copyright :
Dumfries & Galloway Council