New Galloway
| New Galloway | |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | |
|---|---|
 New Galloway | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NX635775 |
| Location: | 55°4’23"N, 4°8’20"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Castle Douglas |
| Postcode: | DG7 |
| Dialling code: | 01644 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Dumfries and Galloway |
New Galloway is a town in Kirkcudbrightshire on the west side of the valley of the Water of Ken, a mile north of the end of Loch Ken.
There were scattered settlements in the area from at least the 13th century (when the nearby Kenmure Castle was first built), but the village was formally founded in the 17th century by the Viscount of Kenmure. It was granted Royal Burgh status in 1630 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 engineer, John Rennie, who also built the second London Bridge.