Welcome to Lockerbie

Lockerbie is located in the south of Scotland, above the River Annan in Annandale, in the county of Dumfriesshire, approximately 330 miles north-north-west of London and 20 miles east of Dumfries.

The town has a population of around 4,000. Administratively it is within the unitary council region of Dumfries and Galloway which covers an area of approximately 6,426 sq kms and which has a population of around 148,000.

Situated amongst the rolling countryside of the Scottish borders, it is an attractive market town notable for a Border feud battle in 1593 and more recently for the tragic air disaster of 1986. There are numerous visitor attractions in the vicinity, including Lochmaben Castle the alleged boyhood home of Robert the Bruce, and it is also a good base from which to explore the surrounding area.

The town's history is thought to date back as far as the 10th century. There has been settlement here since Roman times; the ruins of a Roman camp can still be seen. The town was an important trading post for sheep and cattle and, with its close proximity to the English Border, was heavily dependant on trade with England. The beginnings of Lockerbie's growth dates from 1703 when the Johnstone family, who owned the land, made plots available for building where the High Street now stands. In the late 18th century, it was a staging post on the Glasgow to London coaching route.  Thomas Carlyle, 19th century writer and historian was born here, and Carlyle's House is open to the public. The Lockerbie Disaster occurred here in 1988 when the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 landed on the town after a terrorist bomb exploded on board. Eleven people from the town were killed and a huge crater was left by the explosion where the plane's fuel tank and wings hit the ground.

Historically the town's economy was based upon agriculture, the town was a trading post for cattle and sheep, and sheep auctions continue today. The service industry is the largest sector of the local economy, employing around 59% of all workers.

The name Lockerbie derives from Old Norse and means 'Loki's village'. In 1306 the town was recorded as Lokardebi.