The Origin of the Name Dumfries. 231 



Dumfries is the first point up the river Xith from the Solway 

 where there is a ford readily available for the passage of armed 

 men into Galloway, and it is only to be expected that at this point 

 there would be a fort or out-post. What is likely to be the name 

 given to this fort? We have an indication of how such a fort or 

 castle is likely to be named in Dum Breatan, to which I have 

 already referred, and I put forward the idea that this fort or castle 

 on the Nith was Dum Fries, the castle of the Frisians, Avho, in 

 the Saxon chronicles, are referred to as " Fries " or " Fres." We 

 get some confirmation of this view in Nennius, because in giving a 

 list of twenty-eight important towns in Britain he mentions " Caer 

 Breatan " (which is evidently Dumbarton) and " Caer Pheris," of 

 the exact location of which we have no knowledge, but which in 

 my view is clearly Dumfries. 



On the Name Dumfries. By Mr G. W. Shirley. 



It may serve a useful purpose to record and examine the 

 various suggestions that have been current in the past as to the 

 origin and explanation of the name Dumfries. 



The earliest explanation in point of time that we have come 

 across is given by Dr Archbald, who sent to Sir John Sibbald 

 an "Account of the Curiosities at Drumfreis,"^ which must have 

 been w-ritten about 1680. He stated that the name was from 

 "the Freezwell near the place." This at once easily avoided 

 the main issue, and presupposed the existence and naming of a 

 well before a human habitation was made in the vicinity. The 

 only purpose served was to remind one that there was a well so 

 named. We have not found this well mentioned in any other 

 document, the nearest approach being "the ffreizehole." Its 

 position is indicated in the following : — " Item, an acker of Land 

 called the Lady Acker betwixt the ffreizehole and the passage 

 leading to the Craigs on the north, the lands of umqll John 

 Corsane on the east and the ffreizehole runner on the south 

 parts. . . Item, ffive roods of land called the park of Swans 

 betwixt the lands pertaining to umqll John Pagan on the south, 

 the yeards of umqll John Johnston and George M'Cartney on the 



1 Ma«farlan€'s Greographical Collection. Scottish History 

 Society. 



