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 Commercial Historic District National Register of Historic Places in 2013. Gretna Commercial Historic District Gretna Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Gretna, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. The district encompasses 26 contributing buildings in the central business district of Gretna. The district primarily developed in the early-to-mid-20th century, with buildings dated between about 1881 and 1963. Notable buildings include the Thomas C. and Robert H. Creasy storehouse (1881), Masonic hall (1902), Bank of Elba (1907), Dalton building (c. 1914), W.D. Love and Co. grocery store (c. 1921), Amoco Service Station (1940), former Gretna Fire Station and Town Hall, and Berger Motor