Dumfries – Midsteeple

In 1069, Malcolm Canmore (aka Malcolm III of Scotland) and William the Conqueror held a conference about Edgar Ætheling's claims to the English crown. They met at Abernithi. This may have been here. About 2 km upstream, Lincluden Abbey was founded around 1160. In 1186, Dumfries was granted the rights of a Royal Burgh.

Robert the Bruce, the future King of Scotland, arrived in Dumfries on 10 February 1306 with information that John Comyn was also there. The two met for a private conversation in the Franciscan church there. Bruce accused Comyn of betraying him, but Comyn denied this. Filled with anger, Bruce drew his dagger and seriously wounded his opponent. As Bruce fled the church in fear, his companion Sir Roger de Kirkpatrick entered the building, found Comyn still alive and killed him, saying "I mak siccar" (in Scots, this means "I'll play it safe"). This remains the Kirkpatrick family motto to this day.

The Midsteeple is the former town hall. At the beginning of the 18th century, it was decided to replace the city's old town hall with a new building. Construction began in 1705 and lasted until 1707. The Midsteeple was redesigned and modernized several times over the centuries. By the early 20th century, the building was no longer used as a town hall.