Moffat
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Moffat is a burgh and former spa town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, lying on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. The most notable building in the town is the Moffat House Hotel, designed by John Adam. The nearby Star Hotel, a mere 20ft wide, boasted a record in the Guinness Book of Records as the narrowest hotel in the world.
History
The Devil's Beef Tub near Moffat was used by the Johnstones to hoard cattle stolen in predatory raids.
Early tourism as a Spa town
It was during the 17th century that Moffat began to grow from a small back-water village into a popular spa town. The sulphurous waters of Moffat Spa were believed to have healing properties and during the Victorian era the high demand led to the water being piped down from the well to a specially built bath house in the town centre (now the Town Hall). Luxurious hotels sprang up to accommodate the increasing numbers of tourists. One such hotel opened during Moffat's heyday in 1878, the Moffat Hydropathic Hotel was unfortunately destroyed in a fire in 1921.
Robert Burns came for the waters and frequented the local bars. The infamous murderer and alleged graverobber William Hare also stayed in the Black Bull Hotel during his escape to Ireland after turning Kings evidence against William Burke. (''Main article West Port murders)
In 1935, the remains of the victims of the Lancaster murderer, Dr Buck Ruxton, were found in a stream near The Devil's Beef Tub. A landmark case in legal history, it was the first in which the murderer was successfully convicted using forensic evidence and fingerprint identification in the UK.
Tourism
Moffat was a notable market in the wool trade, and this is commemorated with a statue of a ram by William Brodie in the town's market place. The ram was presented to the town by William Colvin, a local businessman, in 1875. The ram itself is missing its ears, and has been since it was first presented. The town attracts many tourists all year round, both as visitors and as walkers in the surrounding hills. Notable shops include the Moffat Toffee Shop and the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, while its restaurants and cafes include The Limetree, Claudio's, Arietes, The Rumblin' Tum, The Balmoral and the Buccleuch.
It also has a recreation park with a boating pond and a memorial to Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding, commander of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, who was born in Moffat in 1882.
External links
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