“Moffat did not begin as a planned town. Like many settlements in southern Scotland, its origins stretch deep into the medieval period. The name is believed to derive from the Gaelic Magh Fada—meaning "long plain"—a fitting description for the broad valley lying beneath the surrounding hills. The area had been occupied for centuries before written records appeared. Ancient Britons, Romans, and early medieval peoples all moved through Annandale, using the natural passes that connected Scotland to northern England. The nearby Annan Water carved a route through the hills that travelers, traders, soldiers, and drovers followed for generations.”