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main image Whitesands, Dumfries
Dumfries had one of the most important cattle fairs in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was held at the end of September.

Whitesands – depicted here by John Clerk of Eldin, c.1780 – was a typical place for a livestock market. It was close to a major town, but not in it, and near to an important river crossing.

Cattle were brought from all over Galloway. Once sold they were droved (driven on foot) to become part of the food supply of the industrial towns of the north of England, the Midlands, or even London.


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