Gretna

Gretna is famous as a wedding venue for young lovebirds who are faced with familial resistance to their intended union. The tradition for eloping to Gretna started in 1754 when an English law was passed stating that any person wanting to marry under the age of 21, required parental consent to do so. This was not the case in Scotland where anyone could marry at the age of sixteen. Gretna was the most popular choice because it was just over the Scotland-England border.

Scotland’s marriage laws meant more or less anyone could officiate at a wedding and tradesmen such as fishermen, saddlers and commonly blacksmiths took it upon themselves to perform marriage ceremonies, particularly in Gretna where the influx of young couples made for lucrative trade.

The anvil has become symbolic of Gretna weddings because in the 18th century the local blacksmith was at the heart of village life and they forged hot metal over the anvil, just as the ‘anvil priests’ forged a union between young couples. The Old Blacksmith Shop is now an award-winning museum that goes into Gretna’s unique history.