Auldgirth Inn

The Auldgirth Inn was a historic inn, restaurant and small hotel in the village of Auldgirth, Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. According to its own history, the building is around five hundred years old and stands at a key junction for travellers up and down the Nith valley, having witnessed travel by foot, horseback, coach, railway and car. It is closely associated with Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, who farmed at nearby Ellisland in the late 1700s and was a regular visitor; the inn's lounge bar inglenook is presented as a space he once occupied. In 1804 the inn underwent a major refurbishment carried out by the then owner, William Copeland of Collieston, and an advertisement in the Dumfries Weekly Journal of 28 February 1804 sought a new landlord, describing the inn as near the bridge on the great turnpike road where drove roads for cattle and sheep crossed towards Lockerby and the English border. In 1971 Historic Environment Scotland gave the main building, dated to circa 1800, Category B listed status. In the 21st century the inn was modernised and repositioned as a destination for food and luxury accommodation. Its new owner, award-winning restaurateur and chef Robert "Rab" Macaleese, carried out the first major modernisation since 1804 and built a reputation for restaurants where quality, taste, originality, variety and value for money were trademarks. The inn offered a lounge bar, a spacious dining area where chefs prepared dishes mainly from healthy local Scottish produce, and beautifully furnished bedrooms for overnight guests. It accumulated awards after the refurbishment and served both local and travelling customers. On its official website the business announced that it had made the difficult decision to close the Auldgirth Inn, citing rising inflation, the cost of living, and transportation challenges to and from its semi-rural hotel. The same announcement introduced the launch of a brand new restaurant in Dumfries called Above & Below, run by the same dedicated team, with vouchers valid at the time of Auldgirth's closure to be extended and honoured at the new restaurant. The Auldgirth Inn therefore ceased trading as a hospitality business, and its commercial legacy continues through Above & Below.

The Auldgirth Inn is described by its own history as five hundred years old, standing at a key junction for travellers up and down the Nith valley in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. Over the centuries it witnessed technological developments come and go, from travel only on foot or horseback to the arrival of the coach, the railway line and the car. One of its most famous regulars was Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, whose iconic verse "Auld Lang Syne" is sung across the globe at New Year. The inn Burns used when he farmed at Ellisland about four miles to the south in the late 1700s would not have been all that different to the main building seen in modern times. In 1804 the inn went through a major refurbishment carried out by the then owner, William Copeland of Collieston, a nearby estate. An advertisement appeared in the Dumfries Weekly Journal of 28 February that year seeking a new landlord — "only industrious and reputable people need apply". It described the inn as "near the bridge on the great Turnpike Road" and "where the drove roads for cattle and sheep cross to Lockerby and the English Border, free of toll". The inn came with a forge and five and a half acres of ground, and the refurbishment had been made at "considerable cost". The workmanship must have been excellent because in 1971 Historic Environment Scotland gave the Inn Category B listing status, noting the main building dated from circa 1800. It was not recorded who the successful applicant was, but it may have been the Imrie family, who appeared in the first, 1841 census. In the 21st century the inn was modernised and repositioned. Its new owner, award-winning restaurateur and chef Robert "Rab" Macaleese, carried out the first major modernisation since 1804. Rab built up a considerable reputation for running restaurants where quality, taste, originality, variety and value for money were a trademark. The inn offered a lounge bar with an inglenook fireplace, a spacious dining area where chefs prepared a wide range of dishes mainly from healthy local Scottish produce, and beautifully furnished bedrooms for a relaxing night's rest. It accumulated awards after the modernisation. Ultimately, the business announced on its official website that it had made the difficult decision to close the Auldgirth Inn. The stated reasons were rising inflation, the cost of living, and transportation challenges to and from the semi-rural hotel. In the same announcement the team expressed excitement about launching a brand new restaurant in Dumfries called Above & Below, with the dedicated team ready to welcome both new and returning customers. Vouchers that were valid at the time of Auldgirth's closure would be extended and honoured at the new restaurant. The Auldgirth Inn thus ceased trading, and its hospitality legacy continued through Above & Below.

• 1971

  Historic Environment Scotland gives the Inn Category B listing status, noting the main building dates from circa 1800.

• 1841

  The Imrie family, possibly the successful applicants for the inn, appear in the first census.

• 1804

  Major refurbishment carried out by then owner William Copeland of Collieston; advertisement in the Dumfries Weekly Journal of 28 February seeks a new landlord.

• New owner Robert Macaleese carries out the first major modernisation since 1804; the inn accumulates awards.

• The Auldgirth Inn closes; owner launches Above & Below restaurant in Dumfries and honours existing vouchers.

Historic Scottish inn and restaurant offering quality, taste, originality, variety and value for money, with luxury accommodation and local Scottish produce.

• Restaurant dining

  A wide range of mouth-watering dishes mainly from healthy local Scottish produce, prepared by chefs in a spacious dining area.

• Luxury accommodation

  Beautifully furnished bedrooms for a relaxing night's rest.

• Lounge bar

  A cosy lounge bar with an inglenook fireplace, sharing a space once occupied by Robert Burns.

1. 1HOME | The Auldgirth Innauldgirthinn.co.uk
2. 2HISTORY | The Auldgirth Innauldgirthinn.co.uk
3. 3Auldgirth Innwikidata.org