Moffat - Heritage

In local historian Emillio Dicerbo's fantastic book "Memories of Moffat" we read "In the seventeenth century, Moffat's transformation from a poor 'Brigadoon' - like village to the beginning of a popular Spa town occurred".

The sulphurous waters of Moffat Spa were believed to have healing properties and as more and more people flocked to Moffat, the "healing waters" were piped from the well to the "Baths Hall" (now the Town Hall). The town began to grow and more accommodation was required to cater for the thousands of annual visitors.

[ Moffat Baths Hall ]

Moffat - A proud tradition providing Accommodation

the Moffat Hydropathic Hotel

Sadly destroyed by fire in 1921, the Moffat Hyrdopathic Hotel epitomises the Spa Heritage of Moffat. Although nothing remains of this once majestic edifice, which opened in 1878, in it's heyday the palatial hotel contained over three hundred bedrooms, elegantly furnished drawing room and luxurious lounge. The spacious dining room seated three hundred diners in lavish surroundings.

Today, the hotel proprietors and other accommodation providers in Moffat each strive to provide the hospitality and service for which the town has been renowned for so many years

[ Places to Stay in Moffat ]

An interesting article taken from Moffat News on Thursday 8 December 2011:

Moffat residents 'clean and decent'
Residents in Moffat in 1837 were described as 'particularly clean and decent'.
The Statistical Account of that year also praised the way that townsfolk spoke: "Their language is among the best samples of English to be found in any Scottish village."
It goes on: "There is hardly any smuggling or poaching, and low and gross acts of immorality are seldom heard of in Moffat."
It includes facts about daily life in the town, such as:

  • curling, bowling and billiards were popular sports
  • a subscription and circulating library operated locally
  • there were two daily newspapers
  • no houses were uninhabitated

There was no manufacturing industry but the town could boast plenty of services, ranging from 50 weavers, six shoemakers, six tailors and eight merchants, to one watchmaker, two bakers, five masons, six wrights and one surgeon.
And it was also a popular tourist destination, thanks to the location of the Moffat well.
According to Graham's Social Life of Scotland in the Eighteenth Century: "In spring there meet round the little wells of Moffat a throng in their gayest and brightest from society in town and country, sipping their sulphur waters and discussing their pleasant gossip ... city clergy, men of letters, country gentlemen and ladies of fashion and the diseased and decrepit of the poorest rank, who had toilsomely travelled from far-off districts to taste the magic waters."

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