Sanquhar

Sanquhar
Sanquhar from the south
Sanquhar is located in Dumfries and Galloway
Sanquhar
Sanquhar
Location within Dumfries and Galloway
Population1,940 (2022)[1]
LanguageEnglish
Southern Scots
OS grid referenceNS781099
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSANQUHAR
Postcode districtDG4
Dialling code01659
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°22′05″N 3°55′29″W / 55.36793°N 3.92463°W / 55.36793; -3.92463

Sanquhar /ˈsæŋkər/ (Scots: Sanchar,[2] Scottish Gaelic: Seanchair[3]) is a village on the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, north of Thornhill and west of Moffat. It is a former Royal Burgh.

It is notable for its tiny post office, established in 1712 and considered the oldest working post office in the world. It was also where the Covenanters, who opposed episcopalisation of the church, signed the Sanquhar Declaration renouncing their allegiance to the King, an event commemorated by a monument in the main street.

The church of St Brides contains a memorial to James Crichton, a 16th-century polymath. The ruins of Sanquhar Castle stand nearby. Nithsdale Wanderers, the local football team, were formed in 1897. In 1924–25, they won the Scottish Division Three.

  1. ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ "List of railway station names in English, Scots and Gaelic – NewsNetScotland". Newsnetscotland.com. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba ~ Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland". Gaelicplacenames.org. Retrieved 27 March 2015.