OS grid reference NX635775 Postcode district DG7 Local time Saturday 10:07 AM | Post town CASTLE DOUGLAS Dialling code 01644 | |
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Weather 9°C, Wind NE at 0 km/h, 70% Humidity Lieutenancy areas Dumfries and Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire | ||
Dumfries to new galloway scotland
New Galloway (Gd: Baile Ur Ghall-Ghaidhealaibh) is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. It lies on the west side of the valley of the Water of Ken, a mile north of the end of Loch Ken. Before the local government reform of 1975, it was in the county of Kirkcudbrightshire.
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Map of New Galloway, Castle Douglas, UK
There were scattered settlements in the area from at least the 13thC (when the nearby Kenmure Castle was first built), but the village was formally founded in the 17th century by the Viscount of Kenmure and granted Royal Burgh status in 1630 - this was to enable it to serve as a market town. However, Kirkcudbright, only 19 miles to the south, was larger and drew more traders. New Galloway thus grew very slowly and is the smallest Royal Burgh in Scotland.
New Galloway today is an attractive rural town. It has a Town Hall, two churches, three pubs, and a golf club. A popular holiday destination, standing on the edge of the scenic Galloway Forest Park, it is on the Galloway Kite Trail, where red kites can be spotted at all times of the year. Each August, it hosts the Scottish Alternative Games in its small park.
The Ken Bridge, which links the village with the main road on the east side of the valley, was built in 1822 by the Scottish engineer, John Rennie, who also built the second London Bridge.