# Penpont > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Penpont > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Penpont.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penpont > Source revision: 1350824040 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland Not to be confused with [Penpont, Cornwall](/source/Penpont%2C_Cornwall) or [Penpont Manor House](/source/Penpont_Manor_House). Human settlement in Scotland Penpont Crossroads at the centre of Penpont Penpont Location within Dumfries and Galloway OS grid reference NX8494 Civil parish Penpont Council area Dumfries and Galloway Lieutenancy area Dumfries Country Scotland Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town Thornhill Postcode district DG3 Dialling code 01848 Police Scotland Fire Scottish Ambulance Scottish UK Parliament Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale Scottish Parliament Dumfriesshire List of places UK Scotland 55°13′55″N 3°48′54″W / 55.232°N 3.815°W / 55.232; -3.815 **Penpont** is a village about 2 miles (3 km) west of [Thornhill](/source/Thornhill%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway) in [Dumfriesshire](/source/Dumfriesshire), in the [Dumfries and Galloway](/source/Dumfries_and_Galloway) region of [Scotland](/source/Scotland). It is near the confluence of the [Shinnel Water](/source/Shinnel_Water) and [Scaur Water](/source/Scaur_Water) rivers in the foothills of the [Southern Uplands](/source/Southern_Uplands). It has a population of about 400 people.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Archaeology There are several archaeological sites nearby, including [Late Bronze Age hill forts](/source/Hillforts_in_Britain#Bronze_Age_hillforts) on [Tynron Doon](/source/Tynron_Doon)[1] and [Grennan Hill](/source/Grennan_Hill) and a long [cairn](/source/Cairn) at Capenoch Loch[2] dating from the 2nd or 3rd century. ## History Penpont war memorial The [toponym](/source/Toponymy) *Penpont* means "head of [the] bridge" or "bridge-end" in the [Cumbric language](/source/Cumbric_language) once spoken in the region.[3] The [A702 road](/source/A702_road) passes through Penpont. West of Thornhill it crosses the [River Nith](/source/River_Nith) on a two-arched stone bridge in Penpont parish. It was built in the 1760s after the [presbytery](/source/Presbyterian_polity#Presbytery) of Penpont raised £680 toward the cost. Work started about 1774, but in 1776 the bridge collapsed. The bridge was completed in 1778 and strengthened in 1930–31. It is a [Category A listed building](/source/Listed_building#Scotland).[4] Penpont's [Church of Scotland](/source/Church_of_Scotland) [parish church](/source/Parish_church) is a [Gothic Revival](/source/Gothic_revival_architecture) building completed in 1867. It is a [Category B listed building](/source/Listed_building#Scotland).[5] It has an [Art Nouveau](/source/Art_Nouveau) [Communion table](/source/Communion_table) made in 1923.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Penpont's war memorial was made by Glasgow sculptor [William Kellock Brown](/source/William_Kellock_Brown) and installed in 1920. It is a bronze statue of an infantryman, with his rifle pointing downwards, his hands resting on the butt and his head slightly bowed. ## Notable people - Sir [Hugh Steuart Gladstone](/source/Hugh_Steuart_Gladstone) [FRSE](/source/FRSE) FZS (1877-1949) civil servant and ornithologist, [Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries](/source/Lord_Lieutenant_of_Dumfries), lived at Capenoch House in Penpont.[6] - [Joseph Thomson](/source/Joseph_Thomson_(explorer)) (1858–95), the [geologist](/source/Geologist) and explorer after whom [Thomson's Gazelle](/source/Thomson's_Gazelle) is named, was born in Penpont. - The [sculptor](/source/Sculpture) [Andy Goldsworthy](/source/Andy_Goldsworthy)[7] has lived in the village since 1986 and has a workshop there. Many of his works are in the surrounding countryside, including a pinecone-shaped sculpture at Stepends Farm made to celebrate the year 2000. Each year Penpont holds a week-long festival called the Penpont Gala,[8] beginning in the first week of July. - [Kirkpatrick MacMillan](/source/Kirkpatrick_Macmillan), generally credited with the invention of the pedal driven bicycle, was born and died in [Keir](/source/Keir%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway), one mile south of Penpont.[9] - [Leo Kearse](/source/Leo_Kearse) Comedian and broadcaster - [Joanna Lumley](/source/Joanna_Lumley#Personal_life) owns a cottage near the village. - [Hugh McMillan](/source/Hugh_McMillan_(poet)) (poet) born 1955 ## See also - [Drumlanrig Castle](/source/Drumlanrig_Castle) - [Tibbers Castle](/source/Tibbers_Castle) - [Kirkbride, Durisdeer](/source/Kirkbride%2C_Durisdeer) ## References Bridge over the [River Nith](/source/River_Nith), completed in 1778 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Views around the top of Tynron Doon"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220814125237/http://www.walkscotland.plus.com/scaur/glen_w/tynd/pages/01.html). *Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and the Scaur Hills*. South West Scotland Hill Walking Routes. Archived from [the original](http://www.walkscotland.plus.com/scaur/glen_w/tynd/pages/01.html) on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Capenoch Loch (Cairn(s))"](http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/6665/capenoch_loch.html). *The Modern Antiquarian*. [Julian Cope](/source/Julian_Cope). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Watson, William J (1925). ["The Celts (British and Gael) in Dumfriesshire and Galloway"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140831051704/http://www.dgnhas.org.uk/transonline/SerIII-Vol11.pdf) (PDF). *Transactions and Journal of Proceedings of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society*. Third Series. **XI**: 147. Archived from [the original](http://www.dgnhas.org.uk/transonline/SerIII-Vol11.pdf#page=153) (PDF) on 31 August 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Historic Environment Scotland](/source/Historic_Environment_Scotland). ["Nith Bridge (A702 over River Nith) (Category A Listed Building LB17286)"](https://www.trove.scot/designation/LB17286). Retrieved 2 April 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Historic Environment Scotland. ["Penpont Village Penpont Church and churchyard (Category B Listed Building LB17267)"](https://www.trove.scot/designation/LB17267). Retrieved 2 April 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002*](https://web.archive.org/web/20130124115814/http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf) (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-902-198-84-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-902-198-84-X). Archived from [the original](https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf) (PDF) on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Andy Goldsworthy Archive"](http://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/archive/). *Andy Goldsworthy Digital Catalogue*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Penpont Gala Week 2008"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080820052940/http://chrisfrear.photium.com/portfolio34657.html). Archived from [the original](http://chrisfrear.photium.com/portfolio34657.html) on 20 August 2008. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Famous People of Penpont"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161123060801/http://www.penpontheritage.co.uk/famous-people). *Penpont Heritage*. Archived from [the original](http://www.penpontheritage.co.uk/famous-people) on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Penpont](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Penpont). - [Penpont Heritage](http://www.penpontheritage.co.uk/penpont) v t e Civil parishes in Dumfries and Galloway Dumfriesshire Annan Applegarth Caerlaverock Canonbie Closeburn Cummertrees Dalton Dornock Dryfesdale Dumfries Dunscore Durisdeer Eskdalemuir Ewes Glencairn Gretna Half Morton Hoddom Holywood Hutton and Corrie Johnstone Keir Kirkconnel Kirkmahoe Kirkmichael Kirkpatrick-Fleming Kirkpatrick-Juxta Langholm Lochmaben Middlebie Moffat Morton Mouswald Penpont Ruthwell Sanquhar St Mungo Tinwald Torthorwald Tundergarth Tynron Wamphray Westerkirk Kirkcudbrightshire Anwoth Balmaclellan Balmaghie Borgue Buittle Carsphairn Colvend and Southwick Crossmichael Dalry Girthon Kells Kelton Kirkbean Kirkcudbright Kirkgunzeon Kirkmabreck Kirkpatrick Durham Kirkpatrick Irongray Lochrutton Minnigaff New Abbey Parton Rerrick Terregles Tongland Troqueer Twynholm Urr Wigtownshire Inch Glasserton Kirkcolm Kirkcowan Kirkinner Kirkmaiden Leswalt Mochrum New Luce Old Luce Penninghame Portpatrick Sorbie Stoneykirk Stranraer Whithorn Wigtown This Dumfries and Galloway location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:DumfriesGalloway-geo-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3ADumfriesGalloway-geo-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:DumfriesGalloway-geo-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Penpont](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penpont) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penpont?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.