Legends of Old Annandale

This land is alive with folk tales and curiosities.  Annandale has a rich tradition of stories and folklore which form an important part of the area’s character.  Explore tales of ghosts, shape-shifting witches, malevolent fairies, dragons, doomed lovers and many more strange happenings.

You might think this intangible heritage is difficult to present in the glass cases of a museum, but we’ve gathered artefacts which connect to some of the better-known legends to help explore their history.  Among the displays you’ll find an early medieval stone with a carving of a dragon, the sword of an infamous border reiver celebrated in ballads, glass beads from a fairy knowe, objects to keep away witches, and a bible reputed to have been used to exorcised a notorious ghost.

There’s also an area for younger visitors to act out their own legends and stories with costumes and puppets.  The museum is grateful to members of Annan Art Club for sharing their interpretations of some of these legends.  We hope that telling these stories keeps them alive and we’d love to hear your tales of local folklore too.

The exhibition is free and runs until 31st October.  Annan Museum is open Mondays to Saturdays, 11am – 4pm.