Galloway

Coordinates: 55°03′N 4°08′W / 55.050°N 4.133°W / 55.050; -4.133
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Galloway (disambiguation).

Galloway (red) shown in Scotland (pink) shown in the United Kingdom (light grey).

Galloway (

council area of Dumfries and Galloway
.

A native or inhabitant of Galloway is called a Gallovidian.[2][3] The region takes its name from the Gall-Gàidheil, or "stranger Gaels", a people of mixed Gaelic and Norse descent who seem to have settled here in the 10th century.[4]

Galloway is bounded by sea to the west and south, the Galloway Hills to the north, and the River Nith to the east; the border between Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire is marked by the River Cree. The definition has, however, fluctuated greatly in size over history.

A hardy breed of black, hornless cattle named Galloway cattle is native to the region, in addition to the more distinctive Belted Galloway or "Beltie".

Geography and landforms

Topographic map of southwestern Scotland
The main rivers and several towns

Galloway comprises the part of Scotland lying southwards from the Southern Upland

watershed and westward from the River Nith. Traditionally it has been described as stretching from "the braes of Glenapp to the Nith".[5] The valleys of three rivers, the Urr Water, the Water of Ken and River Dee, and the Cree, all running north–south, provide much of the good arable land
, although there is also some arable land on the coast. Generally however the landscape is rugged and much of the soil is shallow. The generally south slope and southern coast make for mild and wet climate, and there is a great deal of good pasture.

The northern part of Galloway is exceedingly rugged and forms the largest remaining wilderness in Britain south of the Highlands. This area is known as the Galloway Hills.

Land use

Historically Galloway has been known both for

Galloway Hydro Power scheme was begun in 1929. Since then, electricity generation has been a significant industry. More recently wind turbines
have been installed at a number of locations on the watershed, and a large offshore wind-power plant is planned, increasing Galloway's 'green energy' production.

History

Galloway landmarks on Ptolemy's map

Landmarks according to Ptolemy.
Ptolemy's
map.

The 2nd century geographer

Geography, in which he describes the landmarks and peoples of the island. The landmarks were identified long ago, and a number of them relate to Galloway:[6]

In the west, the city of Rerigonium (literally 'very royal place'), shown on

Brythonic kingdom of Rheged. Rerigonium's exact position is uncertain except that it was 'on Loch Ryan', close to modern day Stranraer; it is possible that it is the modern settlement of Dunragit
(Dun Rheged).

Early Galloway

Torhousekie Stone Circle
Cairnholy chambered cairn.

The earliest recorded inhabitants were

St. Ninian established a church or monastery at Whithorn, Wigtownshire, which remained an important place of pilgrimage until the Reformation. The county is rich in prehistoric monuments and relics, amongst the most notable of which are the Drumtroddan standing stones (and cup-and-ring carvings), the Torhousekie Stone Circle, both in Wigtownshire and Cairnholy (a Neolithic chambered cairn). There is also evidence of one of the earliest pit-fall traps in Europe which was discovered near Glenluce, Wigtownshire
.

Middle Ages

11th century

A Brythonic speaking kingdom dominated Galloway until the late 7th century when it was absorbed by the English kingdom of Bernicia.

English prevalence was supplanted by

Northumbria being filled by the resurgent Cumbric Britons and the influx of the Norse into the Irish Sea, including settlement in the Isle of Man and in the now English region of western Cumbria
immediately south of Galloway.

If it had not been for

Alan, Lord of Galloway, shifted their allegiance between Scottish and English kings. During a period of Scottish allegiance, a Galloway contingent followed David, King of Scots, in his invasion of England and led the attack in his defeat at the Battle of the Standard
(1138).

Alan died in 1234. He had three daughters and an illegitimate son Thomas. The "Community of Galloway" wanted Thomas as their "king". Alexander III of Scotland supported the daughters (or rather their husbands) and invaded Galloway. The Community of Galloway was defeated, and Galloway divided up between Alan's daughters, thus bringing Galloway's independent existence to an end.

Alan's eldest daughter,

John de Balliol, and their son (also John) became one of the candidates for the Scottish Crown. Consequently, Scotland's Wars of Independence
were disproportionately fought in Galloway.

There were a large number of new

Archibald the Grim, Earl of Douglas. In 1369, he received the part of Galloway east of the River Cree, where he appointed a steward to administer the area, which became known as the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. The following year, he acquired the part of Galloway west of the Cree, which continued to be administered by the king's sheriff, and so became known as the Shire of Wigtown.[7] The two parts of Galloway thereafter were administered separately, becoming separate counties
.

Whithorn remained an important cultural centre, and all the

medieval
kings of Scots made pilgrimages there.

Modern history

Galwegian Gaelic seems to have lasted longer than Gaelic in other parts of Lowland Scotland, and Margaret McMurray (d. 1760) of Carrick (outside modern Galloway) appears to have been the last recorded speaker.

In the years after the

Covenanter
rebellion.

In modern times, Stranraer was a major ferry port, but the company have now moved to Cairnryan.

Galloway in literature

Galloway has been the setting of a number of novels, including Walter Scott's Guy Mannering. Other novels include the historical fiction trilogy by Liz Curtis Higgs, Thorn in My Heart, Fair is the Rose, and Whence Came a Prince.

S R Crockett, a bestselling writer of historical romances active before the First World War, set several novels in the region including The Raiders and Silver Sand
.

Galloway is also the setting of several memoirs, including Devorgilla Days written by Wigtownshire author Kathleen Hart, an account of life in Wigtown, Scotland's national book town.

See also

References

  1. ^ Andy Eagle (27 February 2003). "The Online Scots Dictionary". Scots-online.org. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Gallovidian". Dictionary.com. n.d. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  3. OED Online
    . n.d. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  4. ^ Jennings, Andrew (1993). An Historical Study of the Gael and Norse in Western Scotland from c. 795 to c. 1000 (PhD thesis). The University of Edinburgh. pp. 138–146.
  5. ^ "Those green hills that are the haunt of angels". The Herald. 13 May 1995.
  6. ^ Ptolemy 140 Ptolemy, Bk. II, Ch. 2. Trans.[who?] Albion island of Britannia - First Map of Europe
  7. ^ Learmonth, William (1920). Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Galloway.

55°03′N 4°08′W / 55.050°N 4.133°W / 55.050; -4.133

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