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| McClellan's Castle in Kirkcudbright - one of many historic sites to visit in this beautiful town |
Kirkcudbright lies southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee. It was the county town of the former county of Kirkcudbrightshire, also known as the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
An early rendition of the name of the town was Kilcudbrit, derived from the Scottish Gaelic “Cille Chuithbeirt”(Chapel of Cuthbert), the Anglo-Saxon saint whose mortal remains were kept in the town for seven years between exhumation at Lindesfarne and re-internment at Chester-le-Street. The “kirk” element is Old Norse in origin.
In 1453 Kirkcudbright became a Royal burgh and about a century later the magistrates of the town obtained permission from Mary, Queen of Scots, to use part of the convent and nunnery as a parish church. From around 1570, Sir Thomas Maclellan of Bombie, the chief magistrate, received a charter for the site, its grounds, and gardens. Maclellan dismantled the church in order to obtain material for his proposed castle and proceeded to have a very fine house. MacLellan’s Castle was built on the site and its remains still stand to this day.
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| With the Lord Lieutenant, Fire Fighters and Young People from Kirkcudbright just before setting off |
Kirkcudbright has always been supported by a busy fishing trade and this was evident as I walked around the town today. The fishing boats travel daily to the Irish Sea for Scallops and there catches amount to approximately 75% of all Scallops fished within Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Over 80% of the Queen Scallops caught are exported overseas.
Behind the harbour, the streets have housed generations of creative artists, a tradition maintained today by a flourishing colony of painters and craft-workers. This has led to Kirkcudbright being called “The Artists’ Town”.There are art shops and exhibitions scattered all around the town and this adds to the vibrancy of Kirkcudbright. The town is beautiful, friendly, has a maze of little streets and many of the shops are family owned and this only enhances the quaintness.
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| With Fire Fighters from Dumfries and Galloway Fire & Rescue Service |
Am very grateful to The Lord Lieutenant, Colonel Sir Malcolm Ross, for greeting and then accompanying me on the walk, Tom Plummer, Commanding Officer Sea Cadets Stewartry Unit SCC who coordinated the route and invited his Sea Cadets to join us, Derek Wilson and Fire Fighters from Kirkcudbright Fire Station and to Susan Williams for joining me.
I finished Day 193 with 772 miles to go.
Best wishes,
Phil