178 Topography of Dumfries. 



a border market on neutral ground^^ — g-rew in size and con- 

 sequence ; that when burghal status came with its trading 

 privileges and its statutory fairs, the burg-hers set in the 

 midst of the market place the sign of their Royal privilege — 

 the Market Cross. Gradually permanent booths and sub- 

 sequently houses would spring up around the market place. 

 In the wide space from Queensberry Square to the top of 

 Assembly Street (we must eliminate the Midsteeple and the 

 line of houses between South Queensberry Street and High 

 Street, for they came much later) we can trace the market 

 place. Some period of special activity we require for the 

 upspringing and outstretching of the village that took place. 

 Between these historical facts and our requirements there is 

 a coincidence strong to sufficiency. 



A Military Centre. 



During the reigns of Alexander II. and Alexander III. 

 (i 2 14-1286) the gfrowth of Scotland in prosperity was steady. 

 It was a period of seventy years of almost unbroken peace. 

 We have no reason for supposing- that there was anything- 

 but progress in Dumfries. The Galwegians, on the death 

 of Alan in 1234, rose again and manifested their hereditary 

 Celtic hatred of Norman rule and institutions. In two cam- 

 paigns Alexander II. brought them to submission, but both 

 in his reign and in those of his successors the inhabitants 

 of Galloway proved intractable. This meant that Dumfries 

 as a military centre was still of importance. Between 1232 

 and 1259 we have the famous inquest at Dumfries. It was 

 conducted in the Castle by the King's bailies, and both 

 citizens and barons took oath that Richard, the accused, 

 was, in the language of his victim, Adam the Miller, " a 

 Galuvet, that is, a thief." The case as Dr Neilson justly 

 concludes " affords overwhelming proof that Dumfries (which 

 equated Galwegian and thief) was strongly anti-Celtic in its 

 tone. " 



The Grey Friars' Convent. 



Some date about the year 1262 was marked by another 

 important foundation in the burgh. The reforming body 



