Today, North Clutag is an ordinatry working dairy farm, but in the 1930's it was home to an extraordinary man. John McNeilie, who wrote under the pen name of Ian Niall, spent his boyhood days here. He scandalised the local community by publishing 'The Wigtown Ploughman', in which he described in unflinching details the hardships of life endured by farm labourers in the early years of the 20th century. The book sparked calls for change and progress, but locally he was ostracised by many neighbours who were all to recognisable on the page. McNeillie went on to publish more thatn 40 books, including the hugely popular 'The Poacher's Handbook', and 'No Resting Place', a remarkably sympathetic book on travelling gypsies, written as it was in 1948.
Back in 1916 "energetic townsman" George Couldson brough the movies to Newton Stewart in the silent days of magic lantern shows and tinkling pianos. It must have gone down well, for in 1933 the Galloway Gazette advertised the grand opening of the "handsome new picture house" complete with seating for 490 people and "commodious cloakrooom accommodation for ladies and gentlemen". To complete the effect Mr. Gouldson puchased three white marble statues (including a six foot Nubian Slave by Rosetti) from a sale at Cally Mansion House in Gatehouse and placed them in the cinema entrance hall. The art deco cinema's fortunes rose and fell with those of the film industry in the second half of the 20th century. The cinema closed in 1968, was rescued from developers and re-opened, only to close again in 1991. But Newton Stewart had not finished it's love affair with the silver screen, and by the mid 1990s the Save The Cinema Committee had formed and working with huge determination and enthusiasm, raised grants sufficient to succeed in re-opening the cinema in 1997.
The archaeologists at Newbarns have been working since 2002 on a multi-period site, starting with Neolithic burials and ending with Medieval features. Find out what happened in prehistoric times when a person died. Where did they go? A chance to explore a fascinating place inhabited through the Iron Age and on into Medieval times. As a Scottish Archaeology Month and DOD highlight, Alastair Penman of the Stewartry Archaeological Trust will offer tours of the site at 11am and 2.30pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Take this opportunity to try your hand as an archaeologist (tools will be available), view the artefacts the digs have uncovered and hear about the Trust’s investigations and theories. Please wear stout footwear and midge cream!
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse and Exhibition
The Lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson, took two years to build; work commenced in 1828 and the Lighthouse was first lit on 26th March 1830. The tower stands 26 metres high and the light is 99 metres above sea level. On a clear night, the light can be seen 20 nautical miles (23 land miles) away with a flashing white light every 20 seconds. Until 1971, the lens was a combination of shining brass and sparkling crystal revolving on beautifully made rollers. Paraffin for the lamps and lighthouse keepers’ cottages, came via ships, deposited at East Tarbet and stored in a stone building. These ships were also used to move lighthouse keepers around the coastline from post to post. In 1971, the Lighthouse was converted to electricity and began to use a sealed-beam light, mounted on a gearless revolving pedestal. In early 2019 the Northern Lighthouse Board undertook a complete refurbishment and replaced the old light with a two-tier light of a total of 180,000 candelas. The 2 lights together make an 18 nautical mile range which is a reduction of 10 nautical miles. The Lighthouse became automatic in 1988 and is now remotely monitored from the Northern Lighthouse Board’s headquarters in Edinburgh. The Lighthouse is open to the public in July, august, bank holidays and school holidays.
Mossburn Community Farm was set up in 1987 and rescues misused, abused, unwanted and neglected horses, ponies and other farm animals. It also provides therapeutic work placements for disadvantaged and displaced young people. We aim to enhance the lives of all people and animals we come into contact with. Mossburn boasts a unique 18th century farm courtyard with additional modern buildings, all enclosed in 11 acres of grazing land.
Once an entire chain of castles stretched up the valley of the Nith below these hills, providing a main route from the Solway Firth to central Scotland. Morton Castle has stood on this naturally defensive site since 14C, overlooking the verdant Nith valley and Drumlanrig Castle. More recently, Morton Castle has become linked with John Buchan's classic spy thriller, 'The Thirty Nine Steps', written in 1915. Morton Castle was chosen as a location for the 1978 film version starring Robert Powell.
Welcome to Monreith House, built in 1798 and having undergone extensive refurbishment. It remains in the hands of the Maxwell family, who acquired the estate by marriage in 1450. The architect was Alexander Stephens, otherwise famous as a building contractor for Robert Adam in Edinburgh New Town. The House is complemented by beautiful, original furniture by craftsmen like Gillow and Trotter, and the library collection dates from the 17th century. Visitors will also see estate maps which evoke the grounds as they once were, and the flower paintings of Sir Herbert Maxwell. Perhaps one of the House’s most famous and more recent attributes however, is the inspiration it provided to Gavin Maxwell for his book about an otter, ‘Ring of Bright Water’.
Georgian Townhouse adjoining Bakehouse (1870) which was incorporated into the Moffat Museum in 2012-13. Find out how Moffat grew up from the Killing Times of the Covenanters through the Coaching Days to become a Victorian Spa Town.
In 2010 Moffat CAN (Carbon Neutral) rescued the derelict Old Church Depot and has been turning it into a model for low carbon living. The surrounding wasteland is now a community market garden and allotments and the zero-carbon Church houses CAN’s recycling operation, offices and Scotland’s first Aquaponics Greenhouse. Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics and is a sustainable way of growing edible fish and vegetables. All power and heat for the site is sourced from renewable energy. Moffat CAN are keen to offer a ‘Key to Low Carbon Living’.
Moat Brae, The National Centre for Children’s Literature & Storytelling,
Moat Brae House and its Neverland Discovery were the ‘enchanted land’ where the creator of Peter Pan played as a child. His pirate games by the River Nith became the inspiration for one of the most well-loved and legendary stories of all time. No matter what your age, you too can walk in his footsteps, wonder at this beautiful and magical place, have fun and play. Explore the rooms, peep into keyholes, crawl into book snugs, reveal secret shadows and catch Peter Pan and Tinker Bell in Nana’s Attic.
The Mill on the Fleet was built in 1788 as a cotton spinning mill and restored as a visitor centre by Dumfries and Galloway Council in the 1980’s. The water wheel on the gable end was used to drive the machinery to spin the cotton. The separate longer wheel was connected to machinery in another mill building, now ruined, but both mill wheels have now been reconnected to the original water supply and it is hoped that their motion will be harnessed for practical use in the future. As well as the wheels, the mill has displays of the Fleet Valley, a welcoming café, a shop and special exhibitions.
In April 1703, having received a sum of 20,000 merks from the sale of the Tracks of Customs and Foreign Excise, the magistrates of Dumfries resolved that “the toun is not at present provided with sufficient prisones, whereby several malefactors guilty of great crimes, and others for debt, have made their escape, to the dishonour and iminent perill of the Burgh”. Liverpool’s John Moffat was employed to design the Steeple and in 1705 Tobias Bachop of Alloa, began the build which was completed in two years. Having undergone extensive restoration work, the Midsteeple now provides an arts information hub for the Town which hosts regular events and exhibitions.
This unique office was one of the winners of the Times/Gestchner Digital Office 2000 Competition. It is constructed on a bent elm frame with feathered oak shingles on the exterior, and looks not unlike a small owl. Inside you will find wood cladding, sections of which are patchworked in wood samples. These include cherry, elm, oak and chestnut, showing bark, heartwood and sapwood, and reflecting the different products of the sawmill. The sawmill specialises in both native softwood and homegrown and European hardwoods
Newly restored by Solway Heritage with the assistance of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, this charming small monument was built in 1802. It almost certainly commemorates Mary Kincaid (d 1801), widow of Rev Andrew Ross of Balsarroch and stepmother of the Arctic explorer Sir John Ross. Local folklore associates it with a dairymaid from Drumdow Farm who was killed by a bull, but this is unlikely. (From Stranraer take the A718 to Leswalt, turn right on B798, continue until Y fork, take B738 past Drumdow Farm. Continue to the left turn to Bankswell where there is parking for 2 cars in the roadend. Access is via stile over fence)
Here, by the side of a quiet lane in Eskdalemuir, you will find a small stone house housing a most unusual cottage industry. Two generations of the Chinnery family work here, breaking new ground in the traditional skills of gilding and woodcarving. You will see beautiful antique gilding work on frames and mirrors, but also contemporary designs using gold – not the old fashioned medium one may first think it – but full of light and reflection. Sam Chinnery, Nancy and John’s son, is a furniture designer working in wood, and you will be able to see his unique pieces, inspired by simple shapes and what he calls “simple, honest construction”. Attached to the side of the stone cottage is a corrugated iron lean-to which has for many years housed Eskdalemuir’s post office. Take a peep inside to absorb the charm of tiny rural post offices, complete with the original brass scales, and 1950s cupboards.
A rare opportunity to explore part of Loreburn Street Police Station where Officers will be on hand to answer questions and introduce visitors to a huge range of their activities. Built in 1938 by Dumfriesshire County Council, Loreburn Street serves as the main Police Station for Nithsdale.
500 million year old greywacke rock, worked on by volcanic action and later ice ages, formed a blow hole at Logan which in Victorian times became used as a fish larder. Work to adapt the natural rock formation was completed in 1800, and live sea fish stored in the 'Fish Pond'. You can feed the fish, see the Fish Keeper's Cottage and the restored Bathing Hut and Bathing Pool, a reminder of family days out in a summer nearly 200 years ago. Recent additions include the Cave Aquarium, Touch Pools and gift shop. (14 miles S of Stranraer, off B7065, 1 mile from Logan Botanic Gardens, where it is well signposted)
Scotland’s most exotic garden. Famed for its tender collections and warmed by the Gulf Stream, Logan is a showcase for colourful blooms throughout the season. Highlights include the three acre Walled Garden, renowned for its collection of South African bulbs and tender perennials, and the contrasting Woodland Garden. Don't miss the unearthly Gunnera Bog and feel you’ve wandered into the southern hemisphere inside the Tasmanian Creek. Over 1,800 different plant species, including around 180 that are threatened in the wild, can be seen thriving at Logan. Logan is an integral part of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh which carries out research, conservation, education and global exploration into plants some of which may truly hold the key to the future wellbeing of our planet!
Visit Lochhouse Tower, the former stronghold of the Johnstones, known for their fierce battles with the Maxwells. One such battle took place on 6th December 1693, when 800 Johnstones ambushed the panicked Maxwells as they tried to retreat. Lord Maxwell lost his life that day, along with 700 of his men and many Johnstones. The Tower was restored around 30 years ago and is now owned by Mr and Mrs Clarke who welcome visitors to tour the building over the weekend.
In a welcoming sunny courtyard among the steadings, you will find a remarkable shop, packed with delicious local produce. Loch Arthur Creamery and Farm Shop has grown out of the productive efforts of a diverse and vibrant Community. The Creamery has a fine reputation for its dairy products, using unpasteurised milk from their own and neighbouring herds. Inside the friendly shop you will find the best of local produce: award winning cheeses, freshly baked bread, organic meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables. Plus a range of fine crafts.
Visit the Georgian-survival gothic Langholm Parish Church, designed by William Burn and David Bryce in 1842-6. The exterior of the church is ashlar-clad and internally it is graced by a beautiful pulpit, galleries and is dominated by a magnificent stained glass window depicting “Scenes from the life of Our Lord” by Morris and Co 1925. The front of the Church was recently renovated to include a meeting room, small reception room, kitchen, and disabled toilet. The Church and meeting room have a sound system with loop facilities and the Church organ is a fine Willis organ, which has been used for various recitals.
Knockengorrach: a fermtoun and a folk festival
Liz and Simon Holmes invite you to enjoy the sights, sounds and indeed the memories of a tranquill Carsphairn glen. Today the site of two annual World/Celtic music festivals, the natural landscape contains a wealth of wildlife.
The design of the church is late Georgian Gothic despite its Victorian date. High in the north gable above the big pointed window with Y-traceried mullions is a circular stone heraldic panel with the coat of arms of William Kennedy Abbot of Crossraguel between 1529 and 1547.Also carved in the panel is the date 1749 that of the previous church on the site. The carving on the stone appears to be two centuries earlier. This is the oldest ecclesiastical relic in the parish. Before that time the site of the church was at Minnydow prominent on a high field now marked by a small circle of trees enclosed within a dry stone wall It is probable that a church was on this site in the 13th century.. Before 1949 the interior of the church space was divided up by about one hundred and ten pews all with doors. There were six larger pews in the corners, upholstered in red and containing tables. a plan is displayed in the hall) Seating was allocated by the Kirk session even to the number of inches each member was allowed. In the Kirk session notes for example of 1850 it states that an additional eighteen inches were allocated to Mrs Dinwoodie of Kirkland. The reason is not enlarged upon. In 1949 all the pews were removed and replaced by beech chairs all facing north, the pulpit was removed to the north-east corner. The vestry was changed to its present position from the area which is now the kitchen. The communion table stood on the low dais which you see to your left on entering the church.. At the same time a partition allowed a hall to be created and an upper hall was constructed in 1968/69 and is currently used for the Sunday school On entering the main church if you look up there is a huge plaster rose dating from 1810.(presumably taken from another building) The current refurbishment of the church was completed in 2002 when the chairs were again renewed for more modern and comfortable ones and replaced back in the original layout. The old pulpit and lectern were removed and replaced by those you see, matching the communion table, skillfully made by local craftsmen There are only two stained glass windows .The one above the communion table commemorating a well-loved and colourful local doctor John Meggat who died 1896. Predictably it depicts St. Luke, the beloved physician and St. Patrick (rather surprisingly dressed as a bishop given the very strong church links to the covenanting movement) who is holding a shamrock. The other window to the right is in memory of the landowner John Fergusson of Kilquhanity (also designed by Walter Newall) who died in 1886, it represents the sower and reaper. The Fergusson box pew was sited in that corner.
As trouble and religions strife racked Scotland and noblemen and gentry queued to sign with their own blood the National Covenant, protesting against the rules and regulations being forced on them, work began on a small church, a Kirk. It was the year 1668 and the wee Kirk, Kirkmaiden Old Parish Church, is still there today, known as Kirk Covenant, the southernmost parish in Scotland. It stands on the hill, a mile above the village of Drummore and is a fascinating place to visit. See a family crypt, gravestones dating back to 1698, the pulpit under which a minister is buried, the bell made in 1534 and experience the peace of a place of worship that has stood as a house of God for more than 340 years.
The Kirkdale sawmill is driven by an overshot waterwheel and dates form the early 1800s. It was used as an estate sawmill and joiners' shop until the 1970s. It has recently been restored with a new sloping roof over the saw bench, replacing the previous pitched roof. The mill dam, sluice gate, and mill lade have also been repaired. At one time in the 1920's and 1930's the mill wheel also powered a generator to provide electricity for Kirkdale House, as well as two circular saws. The sawmill was used for many years by the estate joiner, and his workshop here was a meeting place for local children before Carsluith School closed in 1964. The sawmill is situated beside the Kirkdale burn which fills the mill pond above. The burn runs from beyond the prehistoric standing stones at Cairn Holy to the sea at Ravenshall near Dirk Hatterick's cave, which features in Sir Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering.
Award winning Kirkconnel Parish Heritage Society has been transforming this ex-mining village since 1997. Visit the Heritage Base with its collection of photos of life in the village throughout the 20th century, its extensive newspaper archive and collection of artefacts and memorabilia.
Tucked into a fold of land which shelters it from the sea winds along the Carrick Shore, you will find an extraordinary small building. B listed Kirkandrews Kirk was built in 1906 by Mr James Brown of Knockbrex, as part of the grand architectural scheme for the estate. This tiny Kirk looks like a miniature castle with a turret which disguises a chimney and bold castellation. A lych gate leads up steps to an entrance bell tower complete with portcullis and a patterned cobbled floor. A greenish light glints in through marbled glass windows and wall mounted candelabra and a large open fireplace, complete the impression of charm and intimacy.
A chance to see the inshore lifeboat station in the Solway village of Kippford and get a close up view of the D class lifeboat. Kippford RNLI was established in May 1966 and is now operational all year round. The lifeboat was originally housed in a garage at Kippford Slipway Ltd until a replacement boathouse was built in 1977 at the top of the small lane leading down to the beach. The current facility which opened in 2001 includes a crew room and changing facilities. Everything is staffed entirely by volunteers, from the lifeboat to the shop. The current D class (IB1 type) lifeboat D-718 Catherine was placed on station in 2009 and was funded by the generous legacy of Mrs Catherine Harrison, a lifelong supporter of the RNLI.
Kilquhanity House became Scotland’s only ‘free school’ in 1940 and is still the mainspring of child- centred ‘free school’ education in Scotland, now owned and managed by Shinichiro Hori, a Japanese educator who has spent his life studying western progressive education. Kilquhanity serves as a Scottish base for Japanese children, students and adults visiting the UK and exploring Scottish and UK culture. Kilquhanity is currently working with local families and others in Scotland toward the opening of a new primary day school in 2013. The main house dates back to 1820 with a wing added in 1840. The house is listed mainly in relation to the Doric columns either side of the main steps. Once a country gentleman’s residence, Kilquhanity has seen considerable change to become a place for children to learn and play. The school was recently featured in ‘Changing Classrooms’, which was produced by The Lighthouse (the Scottish Centre for Architecture, Design and the City), in partnership with the Scottish Government.
Built some 80 years ago to house the dam builders working near St John�s Town of Dalry, this unassuming wooden building was taken over in 1930 by the Scottish Youth Hostel Association. Since then it has welcomed generations of walkers, cyclists and visitors to this beautiful part of the world.Whether you used to go youth hostelling and would like to revisit old memories � or whether you�d like to see round a hostel before committing to a holiday, this is your chance.
A granite T-plan church with square tower at the centre of south wall. Interior mainly reconstructed in 1911 following original layout. Galleries on three sides with pulpit on long south wall. Fine roof of pitch-pine with central diagonal arched principals. Built on site of earlier mid 17th century church. Notable churchyard with ‘Adam and Eve’ stones of 1706-7, and a delightful upright for Lord Kenmure’s gamekeeper, John Murray. Also Covenanter graves.
Here in the peaceful, undulating valley of Eskdalemuir, alongside the river Esk, the Buddhists have brought not only a treasure house of Tibetan art and culture, but also a community deeply committed to the cause of peace, charity and learning.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way" John Paul Jones lived in an age of great change, and thrived on it. He was born in 1747, when the landscape, agriculture and industries of Scotland were being reformed in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rebellions. Ideas, too, were changing and this was to ignite a war of independence in Britain’s American colonies and a revolution in France. Jones shape-shifted throughout his eventful life: a 13 year old gardener’s son with a longing to go to sea; as the captain of a slave ship accused of murder; as a high ranking officer in the navy of the newly independent United States; and finally as a self-styled ‘citizen of the world’ who died in poverty in Paris in 1792, the year that France became a republic. John Paul even changed his own name and nationality, adding Jones when he chose the side of the United States. The cottage, on the Solway coast in Dumfries and Galloway is a fun filled attraction for all the family. Learn all about the Dumfriesshire born American hero of the US Revolutionary War. Visit the cottage where he was born in 1747 and grew up as a young boy. Step into the magnificent replica of his cabin from his most famous ship the BonneHomme Richard, in which he defeated the HMS Serapis at Flamebourgh Head. Take a walk through the museum and enjoy lots of pictures, information, facts, replica models of his ships and two short films. Join the many American visitors who make the pilgrimage every year to the cottage to pay homage to the Father of the U.S. Navy. Enjoy some refreshments and browse the gift shop. Feel free to bring a picnic and use our outdoor benches.
“We work up to sixteen hours a day, seven days a week for around seven months each year, otherwise it’s brilliant. I simply love being out on the hills with the sound of happily working bees around me.” On a winding back lane at Auldgirth are the fruits of fifteen million worker bees, capably supported by John Mellis and his partner Joan, who work nearly as hard. John and Joan will welcome you to a whitewashed converted byre to show you how and where some of Britain’s very highest quality honey is produced. All around is birdsong and the sound of the river – and bees. The flower-covered hills and glens of south west Scotland provide 350 hives of bees with their occupation, allowing John to produce many distinct types of honey, the main ones being: Spring honey made early in the year from trees; Blossom honey from flowers in high summer; Heath and Wildflower honey from wild flowers on higher land; and a magnificent Heather honey from moorland belonging to the Duke of Buccleuch. John pays his rent in jars of honey. Bees forage in the flowers for nectar and store it in their hive within wooden racks of waxy honeycomb. The nectar becomes honey in the hive and is bee food designed to see the colony through winter. As the honey is removed, John feeds his bees in winter on a specially made ambrosia syrup. During summer John works a sixteen hour day, sometimes starting at 4am because the bees fly at dawn and must be moved to the moors during the night in readiness for morning. During a good summer the bees can fill a hive with honey in a matter of days. Once a honey-laden super is brought back to the farm Joan takes over. Each honeycomb is placed in the extractor, which spins with the speed gradually increasing for ten minutes at up to 280rpm. The honey runs into a bucket and is filtered before bottling. And, of course, it tastes wonderful
Ironmacannie Mill, one of the largest in south west Scotland, milled grain for all the farms on the Kenmure Castle Estate. Reputed to have been built around 1640, it continued working until 1947. The wheel is 14ft in diameter, 4ft wide and is in full working order. Much of the machinery, including three sets of grind stones, is still in situ. Retiring here from a Stewartry farm in 1996, the door to which the Mill’s new owner Chris Mason wished to find the ‘key’ was that of Sustainable Green Energy. As the mill wheel has no proper bearings for 24 hour a day working, the water is diverted to a turbine which produces 60 kilowatts of electricity a day. In turn, this runs a water sourced heat pump to more than adequately heat the Mill where Chris and his family live and the Feed In Tariff for the surplus electricity that is produced buys power to run an air sourced heat pump to warm next-door Mill Cottage. It’s all very ingenious, and the burn, mill pond and garden are beautiful too.
Hidden from view in the depths of the beautiful Mabie Forest, is an extraordinary building. An authentically reconstructed Iron Age Roundhouse stands in a clearing, its thatched roof smoking gently from the fire in the great central hearth inside. Mike and Pam Hazelhurst run a multi-resource centre at Marthrown of Mabie, arranging outdoor education and training days on site, as well as a variety of accommodation (and yes, that includes the Roundhouse which is capable of sleeping sixteen people) which can be booked for holidays or short breaks. Wildlife abounds through the ancient woodland and nearby lochans. Red squirrels and woodpeckers come right down to the courtyard of cottages below the Roundhouse, and an unusual outdoor sauna, heated by a fierce woodburning stove, provides staying guests with birdsong in the bath. A warm welcome awaits you, as does the very helpful provision of a Criffel Coaches shuttle bus, from The Bike Shed up to Marthrown of Mabie itself, where you will be able to see the external construction of this wonderful piece of recreated history. http://www.marthrown.com
A chance to see inside an Aluminium Extrusion manufacturing plant.
Built in 1883 to replace old prisons in Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Stranraer, this castellated building was the work of Major-General T.B. Collinson, the architect and engineer to the Scottish Prisons Department. The original purpose of the prison was to house male and female remand and convicted prisoners from SW Scotland and the building, having undergone many alterations and changes of use, still works as prison today, serving a very important role in the rehabilitation of convicts.
Visit the newly restored 16th century stronghold of the Maxwell family. Hills or Hillis Tower is a 1527 tower house with a 1721 house attached complete with gatehouse and barmkin. Built by the Maxwells it passed to the McCulloch’s of Ardwall in 1733. The property preserves a unique architectural transition from late medieval to a 18th century country house. From 1782 the house and tower was used for farm storage but some restoration and repairs for tenants was carried out in 1930 and 1970 respectively leaving the fabric untouched since they were built. In 2003 the Gibbs family purchased the property and restoration has involved undoing the work of the 30’s and 70’s in the house and putting floors and windows back in the Tower. The aim in the ongoing restoration is to minimize the modern footprint and create a family home once again with the look and feel of the 1780’s.
Hidden Treasures, Museum of Lead Mining at Wanlockhead is hidden amongst the Lowther Hills in Scotland's highest village (461m / 1531ft). Visitors can spend a day that is fun for all the family uncovering treasures, including a real 18th century lead mine set deep in the hillside. Make your way along village paths and tracks to the two miners' cottages and see how the miners really lived before exploring the second oldest subscription library in Europe. Enter the Visitor Centre to discover rocks, minerals, gold, mining artefacts and muslin flowering.
Harelawhill Quarry & Rowanburn Miners' Project
Pre-booked tours only. Harelawhill Quarry was in use from the 1770s until 1966. In the 1940s-50s it rang with the noise of pneumatic hammers, the boom and clatter of the empty �tubs� descending the mine and the grinding of the limestone crushers. In those decades the village of Rowanburn looked to the mine for employment after the depression years of the 1920s-30s, and the workforce extracted thousands of tons of limestone, most of which was crushed to make agricultural lime.
This very rare chapel (probably the only one in Scotland) was built by Ukrainian Prisoners of War at Hallmuir Camp, who in 1947 were sent from Italy to Scotland rather than being handed over to the Russians and a potentially terrifying future. The basic building is a simple army hut clad with painted corrugated asbestos cement sheet but the chapel presents an authentic Ukrainian interior, complete with tinsel chandelier and is still in use by the Ukrainian community, who, since they were not able to return home after the war, stayed in Lockerbie and Lochmaben, found work in the area, married local girls and brought up their children to respect their traditions. The building is Category B listed, and its unique value to Scottish and world history is increasingly recognised. Pay a visit and enjoy a warm welcome which includes tea and biscuits, conversation and stories.
There have been three churches in Dumfries known as Greyfriars. Today the steeple of the third one dominates the church and the townscape of Dumfries and the Town Bell still rings daily for Angelus and Curfew. This ancient site was once occupied by Maxwell’s Castle of Dumfries, then after its demolition in the 1720s the Burgh Council built a new church on the site, the Burgh Church of Dumfries. This was replaced in 1868 by the present Greyfriars Kirk, designed by John Starforth and paid for by the people of Dumfries. A richly ornamented Gothic Revival building with crisply carved detail, all in red sandstone, its interior is large and decorated with clustered shafts with leafy capitals and king-truss timber roofs. You’ll find stained glass by James Ballantine & Son, Powell Bros, Camm Bros and L C Levetts. The Dumfries Provosts’ and Baillies’ chairs are kept in the church. The church is now the home of the traditional Anglican congregation of Dumfries. It is dedicated to St Bride, as was the castle chapel that stood here from medieval times.
House type: Detached bungalow 1800s Energy efficiency and renewable measures: Solar PV, wind turbine, solid wall insulation, loft insulation, floor insulation, A-rated appliances, Energy saving lighting, recycling, composting. Bedrooms: 2 Occupants: 2 Key features: A 1800s detached house with solar PV, wind turbine, solid wall insulation, loft insulation, and floor insulation. Energy performance rating certificate: C When retired couple Brian and Elizabeth Gates moved to their detached bungalow in the Dumfries countryside, they wanted to cut their long-term energy costs “we had previously depended on oil in our last home. We found the price of oil just kept on going up and up, and in the winter it was a less reliable fuel source as deliveries were few and far between.” The couple decided to install a wind turbine and solar PV panels in order to overcome this problem, and their decision was also made with the environment in mind “as we are now retired we did install the renewable systems to cut down long-term costs however our decision was partly environmental, as well as financial” explains Brian.
In 2010 Moffat CAN (Carbon Approaching Neutral) rescued the derelict Old Church Depot and has been turning it into a model for low carbon living. The surrounding waste land is now a community market garden and allotments and the zero-carbon Church houses CAN’s domestic and business recycling operation, offices and Scotland’s first Aquaponics Greenhouse. Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics and is a sustainable way of growing edible fish and vegetables. Power and heat for the site is sourced from renewable energy. Your Doors Open Day visit will include a tour of the site and a chance to experience how we can all CHANGE to look forward to a future of low carbon living.
House type: 1800s detached house, extended in 2009 Energy efficiency and renewable measures: Solar water heating, ground source heat pump, wood burning stove, wall insulation, loft insulation, A-Rated appliances, Energy saving lighting, recycling, composting, Bedrooms: 3 Occupants: 2 Key features: 1800s detached home with a solar water heating system, Gas source heat pump, wood burning stove, wall insulation, and loft insulation. Energy performance rating certificate: D Living in the rural Dumfries countryside presented retired engineer Victor Dunlop and his wife Suzanne with an exciting opportunity. As their large detached house was not connected to the mains gas supply, Vic believed that installing a solar water heating system, a ground source heat pump and a wood burning stove would help them become more self-sufficient. The eco-conscious couple found the installation process simple, the solar panel took just one day of their on-going extension project “the installation process itself was not complicated – it just required someone with a lot of strength to lift the panels onto our roof!” explains Vic.
Energy efficiency and renewable measures: Solar PV, air source heat pump, loft insulation, A-rated appliance, energy saving lighting, recycling, composting. Bedrooms: 5. Occupants: 3. Key features: A modern bungalow with solar PV, air source heat pump, and loft insulation. Energy performance rating certificate: D After extensively researching the potential advantages and incentives of various renewable systems, Ian Billson decided to install a solar PV system and an air source heat pump because he found that these systems would be most financially beneficial for his five bedroom home. Ian was particularly keen to invest in a solar PV system as this enabled him to benefit from Feed- in tariffs where he found he made big savings, “installing the technology itself was a huge capital investment, but as the price of oil is rocketing we are making decent savings though the Feed-in tariff system.” Ian joined the Green Homes Network to give others a fair view of the working technology “we want to encourage others by showing them our home when the technologies are hopefully at full capacity. We want people to hear our story, and hopefully decide to invest themselves” explains Ian.
Green Homes Network: Dalton Village - CANCELLEDHall
Organisers regret, but this site will not now be participating in Doors Open Days.
House type: detached house, pre-1900 Energy efficiency and renewable measures: solar water heating, solar PV, wood fuelled boiler, CHP Generator, solid wall insulation in new extension, loft insulation, A-rated appliances, energy saving lighting, recycling, composting, well water supply available, bio diesel produced to fuel cars and generator. Bedrooms: 4 Occupants: 4 Key features: A large detached pre-1900 home with Solar water heating, solar PV, wood fuelled boiler, solid wall insulation and loft insulation. Richard Earle and his family live in a large detached property which was reliant on oil before they converted to solar power and wood-fuelled technology. Richard, who has a long-standing and proactive interest in renewable technology, installed the systems in his home to become less dependent on non-sustainable products “we wanted to get away from using oil. I knew that by installing renewable technologies we could do this whilst reducing our impact on the environment and saving money.”
House type: modern timber-framed detached bungalow, 2009 Energy efficiency and renewable measures: Solar water heating system, ground source heat pump, solid wall insulation, A-rated appliances, energy saving lighting, recycling, composting. Bedrooms: 3. Occupants: 2 Construction: A detached modern timber- framed bungalow with a solar water heating system, ground source heat pump, and solid wall insulation. Energy performance rating certificate: C Margaret Carruthers and her husband James decided to install their renewable technology systems when they retired in order to save a bit of money, “we wanted to have lower running costs as we got older, this meant reducing the amount of energy we used and paid for.” Motivated by the financial potential James and Margaret installed a solar water heating system and a ground source heat pump to their modern three bedroom detached bungalow.
House type: semi-detached house, 1911 Energy efficiency and renewable measures: Solar water heating, Solid wall insulation, loft insulation, wood burning stove, A-rated appliances, Energy saving lighting, recycling, composting. Bedrooms: 3 Occupants: 2 Key features: A semi-detached home built in 1911 with solar water heating system, loft insulation and a wood burning stove. For retired couple Brian and Marjorie York switching to a renewable heating system was all part of their plan to become more green-minded, “we wanted to do our bit for the environment, and reduce our energy use” explains Brian. The motivation to switch to a renewable system was also financial, “we wanted to be less reliant on the mains gas supply. The energy companies keep increasing their prices, and we wanted to try everything we could to reduce our bills.”
Welcome to Gracefield, located across two buildings at 28 Edinburgh Road, the Arts Centre first opened its doors in 1951 to celebrate the Festival of Britain when former grand house ‘Gracefield’ was bought and converted by the local community. Since then, a further school building was added (gallery 2) providing more exhibition space, café, craft shop, printmaking studio and activity rooms. Throughout the year we show contemporary art and craft by local, national and international makers and artists as well as selected shows from our own collection. Exhibitions are always free and there is also a programme of workshops and classes for kids and adults.
Goldielea Viaduct is a particularly impressive example of John Miller's work. Built on a curve with 18 semi-circular arches of 50 foot span on tapered piers, it dates from 1859 and was closed in 1965. Access is restricted to walking under the viaduct, which is due to undergo restoration work in the near future.
"The work of James Clerk Maxwell changed the world forever." Albert Einstein Glenlair House, near Corsock is famous as the home of the eminent scientist, Professor James Clerk Maxwell, whose work was the basis for all forms of radio communications, including broadcasting and television, radar and navigational aids, and more recently the applications of radio to the control of rockets and satellites. The oldest part of Glenlair is the product of collaboration between James’ father John and Walter Newall but this beautiful 19th century mansion was destroyed by fire in 1929. Having now completed the stabilisation of the ruins of Glenlair House and established a visitors' centre in the original porch, the current owner Captain Ferguson, his family and the Maxwell of Glenlair Trust are turning their attention to the restoration of the farm buildings built by Maxwell and designed by Walter Newall. These contain many unique features, including stabling for shire horses and thru-floor pig-feeders long since removed from other farmyards. www.glenlair.org.uk
Glendinning & Birthplace of Thomas Telford
An opportunity to visit the birthplace of Thomas Telford, who was born, the son of a shepherd, in the remote valley of the Meggat Water. The landscape here has changed little over the centuries, and still bears evidence of continuous farming activity dating back to prehistoric times. Glendinning, a name believed to originate from the old Britonic language of Strathclyde, can be translated as “Glen of the fair hill” – and this is a beautiful, remote place still traditionally farmed. The hardy hill breeds of sheep and cattle hefted to the hill are little altered since Telford’s boyhood, and the remains of ring enclosures, rig and furrow cultivation and turf banks can still be seen. Thomas Telford was born into poverty, and no real trace remains of the simple building he was born in. His life took him far from this valley, but he remained deeply attached to the people and landscape of Eskdale: Deep ‘mid the green sequester’d glens below, Where murmuring streams among the alders flow, Where flowery meadows down their margins spread, And the brown hamlet lifts its humble head… Within Telford’s lifetime, the valley became much altered in character by the antimony mine opened by Sir James Johnstone of Westerhall. Antimony was used for hardening other metals for bells, guns and printing types, and mining it was a hard undertaking. Johnstone provided the road, basic housing for the 40 miners and their families, and set up a school for their children. In 1793 the Mining Company established a library for the use of the miners, now housed in Westerkirk Parish Library. You can walk up from Glendinning to visit the now green site of the mine.
The Gem Rock Museum is the leading independent of its kind in the UK and is renowned worldwide Owned and run by the Stephenson family it is regarded as one of the finest private collections of gemstones, crystals, minerals, rocks, and fossils in Great Britain. Crystals and minerals are some of natures most outstanding creations and the collection demonstrates this with thousands of fine specimens of world class standard.
Walking tour around the town to discover the world of the Faeds, a remarkable family of Victorian artists. Gatehouse was founded in the 1760s as the estate village for Cally House. The walk gives an opportunity to consider the built environment of the town through the experience of the Faeds.
Looking out over the silvery expanse of Wigtown Bay is the Galloway Smokehouse, home of prize winning smoked salmon, trout, seafood and game. A small smokery where only the best in raw materials are used. From the simple kipper to the grand salmon a huge variety of smoked food is on offer.
The virtual world has brought swift changes to rural areas, and the independent photographers who make up the Galloway Photographic Collective have seized the opportunity to create an online collaboration which works to raise the profile of high quality photography in Galloway. The current exhibition will be a combined presentation by the members of the newly formed Galloway Photographic Collective. Their professional skills vary and include fine art landscape, wildlife and portraiture.
These historic gardens stand in a unique position on the shores of the Solway Firth and benefit from an unusually mild climate owing to the Gulf Stream. There are Victorian glasshouses in the beautiful walled garden, which in its day produced award winning grapes and apples. Enjoy the walk down to Rigg Bay, a sheltered beach bordering the gardens, and then explore the heights of Cruggleton Cliffs and the ruin of Cruggleton Castle.
Whether you are local or a visitor to the region, members of the Family History Society will be on hand to help you find out about your roots and the history of Dumfries and Galloway, so take this chance to tap into their local knowledge and take time to admire the wonderful window displays.
This site of national scientific importance relocated to Eskdalemuir in 1908 to escape the magnetic disturbances caused by trams in London. The Observatory supplied vital meteorological data to the War Office during World War II. The critical decision fixing the precise timing of the D-Day landings was based on just such information. The Observatory also studies �geophysics�, making magnetic recordings from deep inside the earth, providing the data used to aid navigation. Staff will provide guided tours during the day. STB access category 2: assisted wheelchair.
Let the Trail tell its stories of our prehistoric ancestors, who left behind them up to 4000 years ago on the valleys and hills of Eskdale, roundhouses, hill forts, stone circles and King Schaw�s Grave.
This huge factory site dating from World War II produced essential munitions for the war effort. All its service buildings were duplicated with the intention of enabling production to continue unimpeded if part of the site were bombed.
The spectacularly positioned and well preserved small fort at Durisdeer was used by a garrison of no more than 30 men to keep the Roman road through the remote pass to Elvanfoot free from bandits. Excavations in 1938 suggest it was probably used by mounted units. The Well Road, later used by pilgrims going to Whithorn, offers magnificent views of Nithsdale. Please ensure all gates are shut and follow the country code. The grouse season has begun, hence we request that no dogs be taken, and ask you to keep to the path. The walk is about 2 miles there and back, over rough stony tracks. Stout footwear advised.
An impressive example of the Heritors’ Gothic style, the church is in a prominent position in the Dunscore village around seven miles from Dumfries in the beautiful Cairn Valley. Newly opened this year, the Heritage Centre houses a touch-screen interactive display, photos and articles about the church and village history as well as local lass Jane Haining. You can take the short Memory Trail round the village and find out where Robert Burns opened a library for the local people and see one of the last hearse houses in Scotland. There is a fascinating self-guided tour of the church including the architectural features, font from the original church, carved stone from the 1649 church all in a recently refurbished building. Alternatively, earn a Dunscore Detective sticker by completing the children’s tour. Keep some time to find out about local Hero of the Holocaust, Jane Haining who was born in Dunscore and worked as a matron in a school for girls in Budapest before and during the second world war. Having refused to leave her charges (some of whom were Jews), she was taken to Auschwitz where she died. You can see films and information about her life, her Hero of the Holocaust medal and some of her possessions.
Dumfries Sheriff Court was designed by David Rhind of Edinburgh and built in 1863-6. It is a tall Baronial red sandstone building which boasts a giant pepperpot turret and cannon spouts. Following an extensive internal renovation in 1994 the Court continues to ensure justice for the people of Dumfries and Galloway. In February 2010 Unification of Courts in the area took place and District Courts were abolished, Justice of the Peace Courts were established and since then all different levels of crime are now dealt with in the same building with the exception of the more serious that are still dealt with by the High Court.
A treasure house of history in Dumfries and Galloway telling the story of the land and people of the region. Look out for fossil footprints left by prehistoric animals, the wildlife of the Solway, tools and weapons of our earliest people, stone carvings by Scotland’s first Christians and the everyday things of the Victorian farm, workshop and home. Museum activity trails and gallery investigations, visitor information and a shop with unusual and nostalgic toys, gifts and pocket money buys. The windmill tower and Camera Obscura are accessed via a spiral staircase – please telephone for further details. Camera Obscura viewings are not available when it is raining in order to preserve this rare historical instrument.
18thC and earlier buildings on this site were extended and converted to a warehouse around 1860, and the building has variously been used as a pianoforte warehouse and sheet music shop, and for the curing of hams. The Victorian signage relating to this enterprise was discovered under layers of paint on the first floor lintels in 2013, and has been conserved and retained, reading 'ham-curing cheese & provision warehouse'. By the 1880s the building was in use as a bakehouse by Thomson Brothers, bakers, of Glasgow. In 1963, William C Gill & Sons, wholesale stationers and paper merchants, moved here from premises in Old Union Street. They traded from their shop on Queen Street until 2008, by which time the building had become very dilapidated, with large holes in the roof. The building has been converted and revived with upper floors as private apartments and the ground floor housing the Yellow Door Gallery, and the base for the Dumfries Historic Buildings Trust, a charity who aim to preserve buildings of architectural and historical interest in the town.
Modern Movement building by Boswell Mitchell and Johnston, currently with an extensive new building programme under way. Tours offer 'The Alternative Hospital Visit' and will include visits to the switchboard/communications system, art/exhibition gallery, CT scanner and the hospital catering department.
From the Cold War threat to the Lockerbie disaster, to Foot and Mouth and the recent severe winters of 2010 and 2011, the threats that have faced Dumfries and Galloway have undoubtedly changed over the years. Local government has had to develop strategies for local resilience to reflect these challenges. The Council Emergency Centre or ‘the Bunker’ as it is known, has been something of a constant during this period of change.
The restored Control Tower of the former WWII airfield at Dumfries is the centrepiece of the Museum and is now a listed building. The Museum is run by volunteers and houses a large and ever expanding aircraft collection, aero engines and a very impressive display of artefacts and personal histories relating to aviation, past and present. Both civil and military are represented. There is also a small, but ever expanding collection of memorabilia honouring airborne forces; a new art exhibition of work by the Guild of Aviation Artists and a mock-up of a WWII living room.
Situated by the Lockerbie Air Disaster Memorial and Garden of Remembrance Dryfesdale Lodge Visitors’ Centre is not just a memorial to the disaster but is also a tribute to the tight-knit community of Lockerbie. Since opening, the centre welcomes many thousands of visitors from home and abroad each year. There are two exhibition rooms in the lodge and also the Dryfesdale Room that is used as a quiet room for visitors to reflect. The first exhibition room houses a permanent exhibition on the history of Lockerbie stretching from its pre-historic origins to 1988’s terrorist attack and beyond. The second exhibition room hosts a number of exhibitions throughout the year ranging from the history of Curling in Lockerbie to work done by the local Spinners Weavers and Dyers. The Lockerbie Air Disaster Memorial sits within the tranquil setting of the Garden of Remembrance at the far end of Dryfesdale Cemetery. The garden of pretty flower beds and individual
They've been building stoves at Dowlings since 1982, and Steve and his workforce are justly proud of the company's skills and commitment to environmental sustainability. Their stoves, built of the heaviets gauges of steel on the domestic market, ahve been fitted in caravans and castles, houseboats and hotels, cottages and country houses. Come to Bladnoch and find out about a Galloway industry which is making the most of low overhead to develop creative and efficent stove design.
The Mausoleum is an imposing memorial to the history of Castle Douglas and a fine example of early nineteenth century funerary architecture. It contains the remains of 25 members of the Douglas family, beginning with Sir William - the founder of Castle Douglas, who died in 1821. The last member was interred in 1965 (George Douglas from New York). The Mausoleum became an A listed building in 1971 and members of the Community Council are dedicated to preserving this historic structure.
Our new state-of-the-art museum has something for everyone. Experience life in a World War One Trench and explore the Factory to discover what life was like for the thousands of munitions girls who flocked to work here.
Although it was built in 1898, Dalton Village Hall has recently installed a ground source heat pump to provide warmth to the building and solar thermal panels to heat the water, together with improving the level of insulation in the roof of the building. The key to reducing energy costs is improving energy efficiency, and information on energy saving will be available, together with free and impartial advice about small scale renewable energy production using solar thermal and PV panels, wind and hydro turbines, wood fuel heating systems and ground and air source heat pumps. If you are interested in cutting your energy costs or installing renewable technologies, then this Doors Open Days event is not to be missed.
Dalswinton Barony Chapel stands among beech trees just beyond the planned estate village of Dalswinton. This charming little church was originally designed for use on the Victorian missions, but was provided here for the estate workers. It was bought “flatpacked” from a catalogue of corrugated iron buildings, and sent by rail and horse-drawn freight to Dalswinton in the late 19th century.
Traditional T-shaped building of 1771, modifications in 1831 including addition of bell tower. Pulpit with carved wooden canopy. Galleries on three sides. Alongside are remnants of the earlier 1546 church – the Gordon aisle, the burial place of the Gordons of Lochinvar. To the north of the church is a 12th century motte, and it is believed the first church on the site was constructed at that time. Covenanter stones in the churchyard.
Dalbeattie Museum has displays of the local granite industry, a victorian kitchen/parlour, grandpa's workshop, a radio bunker and the Titanic along with much much more. A warm friendly welcome awaits the visitor to Dalbeattie's award- winning museum. Give us a visit and find out more about the link with the Titanic and Dalbeattie. As said by one visitor "We arrived as strangers but left as friends".
Explore Dumfries and Galloway's newest public garden. The Granite Garden has been designed by Solway Heritage to celebrate both the beauty of the natural stone and the craft of the granite worker. The garden exemplifies the many uses of granite, from boulder dyke to flame textured slabs, from rough quarry blocks to highly polished surfaces.
An afternoon of family fun at the Granite Festival's Grand Opening where you can immerse yourselves in the rich quarrying history of the region and join an afternoon's celebration of song, storytelling and stone. Special exhibition in Dalbeattie Museum. Bouncy castles and children's activities.
The church is believed to date from the 12th century with restoration in 1890, and is the most complete small Romanesque church in Dumfries and Galloway. The north wall has no windows - consistent with the primitive belief that evil spirits come from that direction.
The last remaining Cruck Cottage in Dumfries and Galloway. Fashioned from local materials with traditional skills, this cottage, like its many lost companions, was simply constructed on three massive oak cruck frames, fastened together with oak pegs. Thatched, lime washed and earth floored, the cottage still possesses a hanging lum fireplace constructed from cob. The Cruck Cottage was lived in until the 1960s, and then fell into disrepair. It was restored by Solway Heritage in 1990 using the same traditional skills and local materials. The thatch was again renewed in 2004. The Cottage is Category A listed by Historic Scotland, and now of a great rarity in Scotland. Much of its maintenance and exciting plans for its future are now undertaken by the Cruck Cottage Heritage Association, who look forward to meeting visitors during the weekend, and plying them with tea and home baking.
The characterful churches of Crossmichael and Parton open their doors to welcome visitors to two village churches of fine but contrasting architecture. Crossmichael’s unusual slender round tower was built in 1611, a late addition to the first church. Look out in the churchyard for the headstone of covenanter William Graham, the burial enclosure of the Gordons of Culvennan. Just up the road to the north you will find the village of Parton and another fine church built in 1834, designed by architect Walter Newall, well known for his work in south west Scotland. Famous people buried at Parton include William Macmath, who saved many old Border ballads, and James Clerk Maxwell, eminent scientist.
You’ll find Creetown Heritage Museum on the main street of Creetown, a village once known as ‘Ferrytown of Cree’ because ferries used to cross the River Cree here, right back to the days when pilgrims made their way to the shrine of St Ninian at Whithorn. Creetown Heritage Museum has a large collection of old photographs alongside period artefacts telling the story of Creetown’s peoples and industry across the last 200 years. We have old ledgers and registers with records invaluable for genealogy/family tree research.
Pre-booked guided tours only. An unusual opportunity to visit a working granite quarry, first opened in the late 18C. Craignair has helped to shape Dalbeattie, providing the town with its building stone and providing generations of employment for its skilled craftsmen.
Visit furniture maker Matthew White's workshop and showroom to see traditional quality crafsmanship in pine and native hardwoods. Beautiful farm walk from car park takes you through herb-rich river margins, ancient woodland and upland wildflower meadows. This former sheep farm lost its stock during the foot and mouth outbreak in a previous year, but now organic and managed for the benefit of the environment, it demonstrates one hopeful way forward for farming.
Mrs Sykes invites you into her home and that of Annie Laurie, the heroine of 'the world's greatest love-song', where she lived with her husband Alexander Fergusson in the early 1700's. The earliest records of Craigdarroch date to the 14th century but the William Adams building was completed in 1729. Craigdarroch remained in the Fergusson family from the 14th century until 1925.
Built by William McCandlish in 1852, this church features a memorial window to James Clerk Maxwell and other fine stained glass windows. There is a plaster bust of Alexander Murray Dunlop, a lawyer prominent in the act of succession and the church was built through his generosity, traditional pews and a fine hammer beam roof.
Situated in the heart of Border Reiving country you’ll find the world’s largest Armstrong Museum. The Anglo-Scottish Reiving past will be on show, including arms, armour, heraldry, archives and the extensive library. Trace the history of this formidable Borders family as seen on ITV Border series ‘The Reivers.’ You can even unlock your own family past by visiting the huge archive. The museum is housed in the former Scottish Episcopal Church of ‘All Saints,’ which was originally built by His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch as a private chapel for the now demolished Langholm Lodge. For 2018 Clan Armstrong were proud to announce the Hall of Fame was on view, a project set up by secretary Frank Wherrett. Guarding the Clan Armstrong Museum you’ll find ‘Lang Sandy Armstrong of Rowanburn’, a sycamore carving of the famous giant ‘Lang Sandy’, a notorious Reiver eventually hanged (with his 11 sons) in 1606.
Cat Strand Theatre - Arts and Visitor Centre
CatStrand is a unique venue in historic New Galloway, the smallest Royal Burgh in Scotland. Originally the town’s primary school, the granite building was imaginatively renovated and extended in 2006/07 to create a multi-use arts and visitor centre. Ideally situated right in the heart of Dumfries & Galloway at the gateway to the Galloway Forest Park, CatStrand offers the following: Gift Shop specialising in local arts and crafts Licensed Café serving light lunches and home baking Outdoor seating area Year round programme of cinema, music, theatre & dance events Art exhibitions • Local and regional information available • Free wi-fi • Open 7 days throughout the year • Dog friendly
Castle Square: Talk and Walk by Matt Baker
Castle of St John, Stranraer and Guided Town trail led by John Picken. A chance to meet Matt Baker, one of the artists behind this national award-winning town square, and hear about its inspiration and the background to its design and build. Matt, whose grandfather was born in Bellevilla Street in the town, worked with fellow artist David Ralston and poet Mary Smith to interpret Castle Square, making use of the theme of water moving, in burn and ocean, so important to Stranraer’s position and history. Their work, commissioned by Smith Scott Mullan Design Associates, won both the Scottish Design Awards best public realm project 2011 and the Saltire Society Award for Art in Architecture 2011. Castle of St John itself is a late medieval tower house, built around 1500 by the Adairs of Kilhilt, one of the most powerful families in Wigtownshire. In 1820 the building was converted into the town prison and the original cells still survive. There are superb views over the town and Loch Ryan from the castle roof. Guided town trail around Historic Stranraer led by Museum Curator John Picken.
The recently renovated Castle of St John is an early 17th century tower house. It was built by the Adairs of Kilhilt, one of the most powerful families in late medieval Wigtownshire and used by lairds in the 16th and 17th centuries. Over the years it has been a family home, a courthouse and a military garrison. In 1820 it was converted to the town jail. The view from the roof – the prison exercise yard – takes in the whole of Loch Ryan.
Discover the comforts of the life of a Jacobean laird at this fine towerhouse standing above Luce Bay. Castle of Park was built in 1590 by the son of the last abbot of Glenluce, who left his inscription over the door: � THIS VERK VAS BEGUN THE FIRST DAY O MARCH 1590. BE THOMAS HAY OF PARK AND JONET MAK.DOVE HIS SPOVS� In the 1970s, after it had stood empty for a century, Historic Scotland repaired the tower and later leased it to The Landmark Trust. Outwardly plain and austere, the interior of the building is now plastered and furnished, providing the visitor with a very different impression of life for a Jacobean laird than that given by the bleak shells of so many abandoned towers. Generously proportioned rooms, high quality stonework and a hall 30 ft long with a fine fireplace. 'Cap-house' at the top of the tower with glimpses of the sea. Not suitable for wheelchair access as each floor is reached by a spiral staircase.
Attractive and dignified, this church is today a simple whitewashed building. It replaced a much old building, which was destroyed in fire. The church has a central communion table, one of the very few in Scotland. There is a plaque to John Semple, the parish minister who upheld Covenanting beliefs during 'The Killing Times' in the late 17th century, as well as early communion tokens and a photograph showing the miners' gallery that was used by local miners.
In a wild but beautiful setting under the great hills of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn, the village is home to a small and dynamic community. Back in 1987 villagers came together to form the Carsphairn Heritage Group, and as a result information of local interest, family history, and an assortment of items have found their way to committee members, and are now housed in Heritage Centre.
Capenoch House is a mid 19th century mansion designed by David Bryce in Scottish Baronial style. It boasts a handsome stone mullioned conservatory and has been protected in the hands of the Gladstone family for almost 160 years. The building has been described as a time capsule having seen virtually no alterations since its creation.
Cample Mill is an early nineteenth century B listed woolen mill on the banks of the river Cample. Originally used for weaving blankets, it now houses South West Scotland's finest collection of traditional and reproduction furniture in both solid woods and veneers, which have been sourced from around the world. This family business is run by Joe and Rona May who have been involved in the quality furniture business, both wholesale and retail, for over 25 years.
The Grade B listed ‘Cally Gardens’ of today were built 1765-1770 as the walled kitchen garden for Cally House, near Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkcudbrightshire. Over 1 hectare in size, the area is enclosed by brick walls up to 15ft in height, and would originally have been sub-divided by 2 heated internal walls running east-west across the garden. Of the original buildings, the gardener’s cottage and a large lean-to vinery remain, backing onto potting sheds, fruit store, mushroom house and boiler house. Today the gardens are the home to an amazing collection of rare and hardy plants gathered from around the globe. Some of the buildings on site are now in a poor state and plans are underway to secure their restoration and future uses. More information regarding the future of the Grade B listed gardens will be available during the event.