Richard Rennison led to the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1939, which outlawed the process of "irregular marriages". When the new law came into force in 1940, Rennison had performed 5,147 marriages. His role then changed to a symbolic one, "blessing" marriages and acting as caretaker of the forge. He also regularly appeared at court to ensure the marriages he performed were judicially recognised. Richard Rennison Richard Rennison (29 October 1889 – 5 August 1969) was the last "anvil priest" at Gretna Green, Scotland. Between 1926 and 1940, he performed "irregular marriages" of couples over the anvil at the Old Blacksmith Shop, where the
Gretna Green railway station Gretna Green railway station Gretna Green railway station serves the village of Gretna Green and the town of Gretna in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located on the Glasgow South Western Line and is managed by Abellio ScotRail who provide all passenger train services. The station was opened by the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway on 23 August 1848 as Gretna. The Glasgow and South Western Railway renamed the station as Gretna Green in April 1852. On 6 December 1965 the station was closed. Following closure, the station building was sold. In 1975 the site of the station became