Elizabeth Crichton Statue, Dumfries





Elizabeth Crichton Statue, at Crichton Campus

As I was walking in the Crichton campus today, I saw this statue that I haven’t noticed before. I took some photos and decided to do a bit of research on its significance. After initial quick online research, I decided to stop by Dumfries library and see if I could find anything written about this woman, Elizabeth Crichton. I found an interesting book titled ‘Crichton University: A WIDOW’S MIGHT’ by Alexandrina Anderson and, as today is international women’s day, I thought I would share a very brief story of what I read about this visionary woman.

The book details, in depth, the origins of the Crichton university campus. It explains how Elizabeth Crichton came up with the idea of establishing a university in Dumfries using inheritance left by her husband, Dr James Crichton, after his death in 1823.





Close up photo, Elizabeth Crichton

 

Elizabeth Crichton was a philanthropist known for founding The Crichton Royal Hospital. Widowed and childless at the age of 46, she set out to help people that were disadvantaged, and remained actively involved in her charitable causes until her death in 1862.

By all accounts, Elizabeth Crichton was a strong willed woman. Despite powerful oppositions to her original proposal of opening a university in Dumfries, she fought hard for many years to realize her vision, although she eventually had to abandon the idea in 1833 and went on to found the Crichton Royal Hospital instead. In 1995, the hospital became the Crichton University Campus. She would undoubtedly be very happy that her wish had been finally fulfilled!

Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura

Dumfries Museum

Do you know that this beautiful Dumfries museum building started life as a stone windmill in the late 1700s?

It was built on a hill top overlooking the town and was one of the most prominent landmarks of the district. By 1834, when the mill was no longer in business and due for demolition, the building was rescued from destruction when the Astronomical Society converted it into an observatory! A museum was added later and is now one of Dumfries's most popular attractions with a camera obscura providing panoramic views of the town and the museum telling the history of the land and people of the region.

The local history gallery within the museum shows memorable events that happened in the Dumfries area since the middle Ages, social changes, paintings and drawings of local landscapes, and a collection of early maps.









You can learn how to make cheese and butter from milk

The geology gallery includes fossil footprints left by animals lived in the area over 280 million years ago, tools and weapons of early people, stone carvings by Scotland's first Christians and the everyday life of the Victorian times.

The natural history gallery exhibits different kinds of birds and common local mammals.

Golden eagle

Outside, the statue of John Sinclair M.D, an assistant surgeon born in Dumfries, can be seen along with gravestones of covenanters and a Russian cannon captured during the Crimean war.

Dumfries Museum Events and Activities

The museum organises family events and educational activities throughout the year, where, e.g. visitors can make a mini rocket powered with a simple chemical reaction, play 'Be an astronaut' with a space suit dress up or learn how to view the sun safely and make solar prints using natural minerals and the light of the nearest star.

Sources;

J.A. Mackay (1990) - Pictoral History of Dumfries

Fortune P., McMillan H. - Dumfries : A history and celebration
 

More information on facilities and opening times can be found on the following  links: https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/dumfries-museum-and-camera-obscura-p251151

https://www.facebook.com/DumfriesMuseum/ 

Suspension Bridge, Whitesands, Dumfries

Whitesands Suspension footbridge, Dumfries

The suspension bridge in Dumfries is a footbridge across the river Nith on the whitesands.

This 'Category B' listed iron suspension bridge was built in 1875 in order to allow easy access for mill girls to cross to and from textile mills that had been built on both sides of the river Nith in the 19^th century. Dumfries was a prosperous town in the 19^th century and business in the manufacturing of hosiery, especially lamb’s wool, was booming. This gave employment to many women at the time. The women were said to be ‘so enthusiastic about the bridge that they had to be reprimanded for marching across in step with their heavy clogs and making the bridge swing dramatically!!’

Decorative and commemorative cross-brace, which, once held the lamps

In the middle of the cross-brace is, a burgh seal that shows the Archangel Michael triumphing over Satan in the form of a serpent. The burgh seal dates from the 13th century when dedications to St Michael were prevalent in areas of Anglo-Norman settlement and can be seen on historical buildings across Dumfries.

Coat of Arms 1707

On the iron railings the finials are 'fleur de lys' a symbol which dated back nearly two millennia. Which also features on the crown jewels of England and Scotland.

Iron railings with fleur de lys finials

Sources;

Dumfries Time Traveller: Follow in the footsteps of Burns, Bruce and Barrie through eight centuries of Dumfries history.

J.A. Mackay (1990) - Pictoral History of Dumfries

Fortune P., McMillan H. - Dumfries : A history and celebration