A 21-gun salute will be held to mark the end of the 800th anniversary of Dumbarton, it has been confirmed.

We previously told how a year of celebration is being launched by West Dunbartonshire Council to celebrate the milestone.

The town’s octocentenary was marked on July 8, 2022, 800 years since the foundation charter for the Royal Burgh of Dumbarton was sealed by Alexander II in Jedburgh.

The 21-gun salute at Dumbarton Castle will be the last set of events marking the year-long celebrations for the major milestone which is coming to a close this July.

West Dunbartonshire Council’s Arts and Heritage team have been delivering activities which have included a series of successful ‘8 for 800’ talks at Dumbarton Heritage Centre, celebrating some of the most important objects from the council’s museum collections, including rare medieval manuscripts from the archive and the early Christian ‘Skellat bell’ – one of the oldest objects in the collection.

The council have been working in partnership with West College Scotland (WCS) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to deliver activities to mark the occasion.

A special exhibition project coordinated with the graphic design students at WCS will take place in Dumbarton’s Heritage Centre during July to conclude the year.

READ MORE DUMBARTON 800 STORIES: Dumbarton's 800th birthday not to be marked by Scottish Government

Councillor Martin Rooney, convenor of Culture Committee, said: “The anniversary celebrations have been a wonderful opportunity for the people of Dumbarton to learn and celebrate our rich history and cultural heritage.

"It’s really important that we mark these occasions and remember how far we’ve come in the last 800 years.”

Work also continues to develop stories of the High Street to be used as part of the Regeneration team’s activity to transform the town centre in the wider context of Dumbarton’s Levelling-Up Fund project.

This will include drawing on resources from the council’s local history collections.

Councillor June McKay, vice-convenor of Culture Committee, said: “I think as a community we are left with a deep sense of pride in our town's rich history after celebrating this last year. I hope going forward we can continue to honour our past while looking forward to a bright future for Dumbarton.”

The date of the salute is yet to be confirmed.