Salvation Data 0800 075 0720

Langholm
Scottish Gaelic: Langaim
Scots: Langholm
Muckle Toon
Langholm and the River Esk
Langholm  Langholm shown within Scotland
Population	2,311 (2001)
Language	English
	South Scots
OS grid reference	NY364847
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Dumfries
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LANGHOLM
Postcode district	DG13
Dialling code	013873
Police	Dumfries and Galloway
Fire	Dumfries and Galloway
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
Scottish Parliament	Dumfries
List of places: UKʉۢ Scotlandʉۢ

Langholm

The town grew around the textile industry, but is now best-known as the birthplace of Hugh MacDiarmid and Thomas Telford. The population in 2001 was 2,311.

The town was an important centre for the Border Reivers.

In 2009, Langholm was a star of the television programme, Ty's Great British Adventure.

A branch of the Carlisle to Hawick railway line to Langholm was completed in 1864, but closed some 100 years later. The last regular passenger train was on 13 June 1964, although a special ran in March 1967 - complete with Restaurant Car; the freight service continued until September 1967. The X95/95 bus line runs through Langholm.

Langholm Academy is a combined primary and secondary school of excellent repute, which has produced most of the town's eminent alumni. Visit langholmacademy.org.uk≠

In 1858 Langholm Cricket Club was founded. The club play their matches on the picturesque Castleholm Ground. They currently play their matches in the Border League, finishing mid table this season. This year the club is celebrating its 150th Anniversary which was celebrated recently at a dinner.

In 1871, Langholm RFC was founded, being the oldest Rugby club in the Borders.

Langholm also has a minor football team, Langholm Legion, who also play on the Castleholm

The town also has a karate club, Langholm Shotokan Karate Club, which is part of the KUGB and has had a number of members selected for the Scottish national team.

The unused episcopalian church on the Castle Holm in the burgh has been converted into the Armstrong clan museum.

The town is home to a music and arts festival, a food festival and the Langholm walks.

Each year many visitors come for the annual Common Riding, which takes place on the last Friday of July.

Langholm has both a pipe band and a brass band (known as the Town Band - or colloquially as The Toon Ban'). The Town Band is the oldest surviving brass band in Scotland.

The town is also home to the Eskdale and Liddesdale Archaeological Society

There is also an active Archive Group with a steadily increasing collection of information, much now on-line. (www.langholmarchive.com)

Langholm is surrounded by four hills. The highest is 300m Whita hill, on which stands an impressive obelisk commemorating the life and achievements of Sir John Malcolm (1769‑1833), the distinguished soldier, statesman, and historian.

The others are Warblaw (in Langholm it is pronounced Warbla), Meikleholmhill (a knowe of which is known as 'Tinpin') and the Castle Hill.

The local newspaper is the Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser, which is part of the CN Group Ltd. The paper covers news from Langholm and its surrounding areas (notably Canonbie & Newcastleton) and is commonly referred to locally as 'The Squeak'. Established in 1848, the newspaper was the first penny newspaper in Scotland.

Langholm has long been home to a thriving woollen milling trade and at one stage there were 22 mills in the town. There has been consolidation and closure since then, but many people still earn their living in the trade. The Edinburgh Woollen Mill, seen on many a high street, is based in Langholm.

Another local business is Border Fine Arts, set up in the early seventies. It makes figurines of local wildlife, each one hand painted by local people. The company trades around the world.

In 1972, astronaut Neil Armstrong was welcomed to the town, and made the first freeman of the burgh. He happily declared the town his home:

“My pleasure is not only that this is the land of Johnnie Armstrong, rather that my pleasure is in knowing that this is my home town and in the genuine feeling that I have among these hills among these people.� ^[1]

The BBC [1] have a video clip of the visit.

Langholm is the traditional seat of Clan Armstrong that is currently represented globally by the official Clan Armstrong Trust. Home of the Clan Armstrong line is Gilnockie Tower 2.3 km (1.4 miles) north of Canonbie.

Langholm is also home of Christopher Murray Grieve (known as Hugh Macdiarmid), the Scottish poet, who was a leading light in the Scottish Renaissance of the 20th century. Unusually for a communist, he was a committed Scottish nationalist and wrote both in English and in literary Scots. The town is home to a monument in his honour made of cast iron which takes the form of a large open book depicting images from his writings.

aim to establish a commercially viable driven grouse moor. Within the time frame of the project, it is the intention to sell driven grouse days producing an annual income in excess of £100,000.

aim to restore an important site for nature conservation to favourable condition

seek to demonstrate whether the needs of an economically viable grouse moor can be met alongside the conservation needs of protected raptors, especially the hen harrier.