How the Four Towns of Lochmaben Came to Be

Robert the Bruce’s Retainers

Nestled in the gentle folds of Dumfries and Galloway lie four unassuming villages: Greenhill, Hightae, Smallholm, and Heck—collectively known as The Four Towns of Lochmaben. To a casual traveler, they might seem like any other Scottish hamlets, with quiet roads and ancient stone houses. But beneath their tranquil façade runs a current of deep-rooted history, one that stretches back to the turbulent days of Scotland’s fight for independence—and the iron will of its most storied king: Robert the Bruce.

This is the tale of how these four towns came to be—not through royal charters or economic expansion, but through loyalty repaid, through men who bled for a cause and were given land instead of titles.