Gretna Green
| Gretna Green | |
|---|---|
Public square and fountains in Gretna Green | |
Gretna Green Location within Dumfries and Galloway | |
| OS grid reference | NY318680 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GRETNA |
| Postcode district | DG16 |
| Dialling code | 01461 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Gretna Green is a parish in the southern council area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, close to the town of Gretna, on the Scottish side of the English-Scottish border. It is accessed from the A74(M) motorway. Historically Gretna Green was on the Glasgow-Carlisle road, a significant early toll road between England and Scotland.
Gretna Green railway station serves both Gretna Green and Gretna. The Quintinshill rail disaster, the worst rail crash in British history, in which over 220 died, occurred near Gretna Green in 1915. It has become synonymous for its "runaway marriages", given the age of consent for marriage in Scotland under Scots law is 16, whilst in England and Wales the legal age is 18.