Newton Stewart (Gd: Baile Ùr nan Stiùbhartach) is a former burgh town in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. The town is on the River Cree with most of the town to the west of the river, and is sometimes referred to as the "Gateway to the Galloway Hills".[3]
Newton Stewart
| |
|---|---|
 The River Cree with Newton Stewart beyond | |
  Newton Stewart Location within Dumfries and Galloway | |
| Area | 1.94 km2 (0.75 sq mi) [1] |
| Population | 4,030 (2022)[2] |
| • Density | 2,077/km2 (5,380/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | NX405655 |
| • Edinburgh | 85 mi (137 km) |
| • London | 299 mi (481 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWTON STEWART |
| Postcode district | DG8 |
| Dialling code | 01671 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
The main local industries are agriculture, forestry and tourism. The town hosts a local market, and a number of services to support the farming industry. There are many mountain biking trails in the area. Newton Stewart lies on the southern edge of the Galloway Forest Park, which supplies many jobs to the town. Newton Stewart is 7 miles (11 kilometres) from Scotland's book town Wigtown.
History
The town was founded in the mid 17th century by William Stewart, fourth and youngest son of the 2nd Earl of Galloway. The "New Town of Stewart" was granted burgh status by charter from King Charles II, allowing a weekly market and two annual fairs to be held.
It was on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Ninian at Whithorn in 1329 that Robert the Bruce forded the river where the present bridge stands.[4] Designed by John Rennie the Elder and built in 1813 the present bridge replaced the old bridge of 1745.[5]
The industrialist Sir William Douglas (died 1809), best known for founding the planned town of Castle Douglas, also established cotton mills in Newton Stewart, which was renamed "Newton Douglas" in his honour but soon reverted to Newton Stewart.[5]
The main municipal building in the town, the McMillan Hall, was completed in 1885.[6]
Transport
The A75 road runs along the southern edge of the town, and connects the town to Stranraer in the west and Dumfries in the east. Public transport in and around the town and to places in South Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway is mainly provided by Stagecoach Western.[7]
Newton Stewart railway station was on the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway and closed in 1965, as a result of the Beeching Axe.[8] The nearest railway stations are at Stranraer and Barrhill which are respectively 25 mi (40 km) and 18+1⁄2 mi (30 km) from Newton Stewart.[9]
Education
Newton Stewart has three primary schools:
- Penninghame
- Minnigaff
- St Ninian’s RC
The town has one secondary school, the Douglas Ewart High School.
Media
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC Scotland and ITV Border. Television signals are received from one of the two local relay transmitters (Minnigaff [10]and Cambret Hill[11]).
Local radio stations are BBC Radio Scotland on 93.1 FM and Greatest Hits Radio Dumfries & Galloway on 103.0 FM.
The Galloway Gazette and Dumfries & Galloway Standard are the town's local newspapers. [12] [13]
The horror film The Wicker Man, set on the fictional privately-owned Scottish island of Summerisle, was filmed almost entirely (some opening scenes filmed in Plockton, Wester Ross also) on location around Newton Stewart, and had its premiere at its cinema in 1973.[14]
Tourism
There are numerous nature trails nearby as part of Galloway Forest Park, managed on behalf of the state by Forest Enterprise.[15]
Sport
Newton Stewart FC, nicknamed the "Creesiders", play in the South of Scotland league, their ground is called Blairmount Park.[16]
Notable people
- The artist and musician Bill Drummond of the KLF and K Foundation grew up in the town.
- Scottish Under 23 international footballer Ian Gibson (1943–2016), played for Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Cardiff City amongst others.
- Educationalist Prof William Wither McClelland FRSE (1889–1968) professor of Education at St Andrews University.[17]
- Lieutenant General Sydney Rigby Wason CB, MC and Bar (1887 – 1969), a senior officer in the Second World War.
References
- ^ "Newton Stewart (Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ "Newton Stewart, Gateway to the Galloway Hills, Dumfries and Galloway South West Scotland". Newtonstewart.org. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ "Three Trails... One Tale" (PDF). Sulwathconnections.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Newton Stewart". Gazetteer of Scotland. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Dashwood Square, The McMillan Hall, railings and gates (LB38669)". Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ West Scotland – Home Archived 2008-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ RAILSCOT | Chronology | Portpatrick Railway[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Video and narration on Barrhill Railway Station". YouTube. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ "Freeview Light on the Minnigaff (Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland) transmitter". UK Free TV. May 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ "Freeview Light on the Cambret Hill (Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland) transmitter". UK Free TV. May 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ "Galloway Gazette". British Papers. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ "Dumfries & Galloway Standard". British Papers. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ "The Wicker Man". British Film Locations. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ^ "Forest park given Dark Sky honour". BBC News. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
- ^ "Repairs for 3G pitch at Newton Stewart's Blairmount Park". BBC News. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- ^ Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2017.