ToroGKAPIIV OF Du.Ml'KIKS. 171 



was not in itself sufficient to retain a population and establish 

 a permanent township. The district is full of abandoned 

 forts. Some definite advantage secured Dumfries from the 

 desolation that fell upon these. And here emerges the pivotal 

 fact that rendered Dumfries, during- the centuries of inter- 

 tribal warfare, which gradually gave way before an inevitable 

 consolidation, a place of strategic importance. At this point 

 up the Nith from the Solway were the first readily available 

 fords into Galloway. The genesis of many towns may be 

 found in fords. Traxellers, pilgrims, 2^-' and merchants, stayed 

 by flood, sought hospitality in their \icinity. Invading 

 armies encamped beside them. Smiths, wrights, tailors, and 

 innkeepers found enough work to enable them to remain in 

 the place ; weavers, bakers, hewers of wood, and drawers 

 of water gathered round and engaged in humble efforts at 

 husbandry. Their mud and wattle dwellings clustered about 

 the burn on which they afterwards built their mill. It is 

 likely enough that the first ford up the river was at Castle- 

 dykes, ^^ but for the burgh the ford of most importance must 

 have been that which crosses the Nith opposite Nith Street. 

 The most ancient road into Galloway has now dwindled to 

 a little lane running upwards from the ford, and known as 

 Lovers' Lane.^s 



The Focal Point. 



Men are innately conservative ; they will not alter any- 

 thing, and especially a boundary, without due and sufficient 

 cause. In the space at Nith Place one may still see the 

 centre of the primitive village. From this point on the 

 north side of the Millburn the streets radiate south, west, 

 and north-east and north-west. In the i6th century a sub- 

 stantially built stone bridge crossed the Millburn at this 

 point. We have in St. Michael Street the direct approach 

 to the bridge. Prior to the building of the latter, however, 

 there would be a ford with its naturally broad debouchures ; 

 the houses would stand w'ell back from the burn, as they, in 

 fact, still do. That the north bank should be selected for 

 building upon appears to be natural. The houses were 

 nearer the fort, and protected by the burn. The chief reason, 



