Gretna Green
Gretna Green is a small village in the south of
Scotland, distinct from the larger nearby town of
Gretna. Both are on the
A74 road near the border with
England. It is on the west coast, in
Dumfries and Galloway, and near the mouth of the
River Esk. It is the site of
Gretna Green railway station and the home of the
football team Gretna F.C.Its main claim to fame is the Old Blacksmith's Shop where many runaway
marriages were performed. These began in
1753 when an
Act of Parliament,
Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act, was passed in England, which stated that if both parties to a marriage were not at least 21 years old, then consent to the marriage had to be given by the parents. This Act did not apply in Scotland where it was possible for boys to get married at 14 and girls at 12 years old with or without parental consent. Since
1929 both parties have had to be at least 16 years old but there is still no consent needed. In
England and Wales the ages are now 16 with consent and 18 without.
This led to many
elopers fleeing England and making for the first Scottish village they came to — Gretna Green. The
blacksmith's shop, built around
1712, became the focal point for the marriage trade. It was opened to the public as a
visitor attraction as early as
1887.
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