Issued by: Alan Air Media Services On behalf of: Gretna Green Famous Blacksmith Shop

30.1.14

Tel: 07974 765870

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WEDDINGS BOOM AT

GRETNA GREEN FAMOUS

BLACKSMITHS SHOP

Valentine's Day is booked solid with marriages every half hour ‘over-the-anvil'

OVER-the-anvil marriages booked for the Famous

Blacksmiths Shop in Gretna Green in 2014 are up 20 per cent on this time last year.

"Our figures show a dramatic increase which we think is

down to two things - last year's perceived ‘unlucky' 13 in

the year and more optimism about the economy," said

Michelle Hall, Wedding Manager.

Michelle Hall

The Famous Blacksmiths Shop - which started marrying

eloping couples from England in 1754 after a controversial

change in the law - already has 400 weddings on the books for the year.

And Valentine's Day is booked solid with weddings every

half hour ‘over-the-anvil'.
 

Whilst few couples these days ‘elope' in the traditional

sense of the meaning, the historic venue has lost none of its

daring romantic ambience.
 

"We've been referenced in everything fromPride and

PrejudicetoDownton Abbeyand we were even mentioned

in an episode ofCoronation Streetlast week," added

Michelle.
 

"And the historic anvil, which we still use in weddings,

civil partnerships and blessings, has a special aura which

couples absolutely love to touch and stand beside as they

exchange their vows."
 

Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop started marrying

eloping couples from England in 1754 after Lord

Hardwicke's Marriage Act raised the minimum marital

age without parental consent to 21.
 

As the law did not apply in neighbouring Scotland, local

blacksmith Joseph Paisley set himself up as a so-called

‘anvil priest' and began conducting marriages over-the-

anvil for a fee.
 

One of the most scandalous runaway weddings at Gretna

Green involved Lord Thomas Erskine who ‘dragged up'

to marry his young housekeeper Sarah Buck in 1818.
 

Within seconds of the ceremony being his son, from a

former ‘respectable' marriage, arrived and lunged at his father's new bride.

Exchanging blows they fell to the ground and when the

dust finally settled Lord Erskine's reputation lay in

tatters.
 

Similarly, a more recent battle over the legalisation of gay

marriage saw verbal blows exchanged between opposing

protagonists.
 

However, it is set to become law in England and Wales at

the end of March with the Scottish Parliament expected to

ratify gay marriage this year as well.
 

Ends
 

Notes to editors:

• Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop attraction is near the Scottish/English border includes a museum
  
  housing the legendary Marriage Anvil, high-quality shopping, Foodhall, a restaurant and is one of
  
  Scotland's most popular visitor destinations and wedding venues;

• It is owned by the local Houston family who also operate the adjoining award-winning four star boutique
  
  hotel, Smiths at Gretna Green and farm the land surrounding Gretna Green;