Kirkcolm
The name Kirkcolm is derived from Kirk, meaning church and colm,(local pronunciation is not Colm with a long 'o', but Cum with a short 'u') referring to St Columba. Kirkcolm village is situated on Loch Ryan on the northern tip of the Rhins of Galloway peninsular, Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. It is 6.5 miles north of Stranraer, which is the nearest large town to access supermarkets, banks, clothes shops and other services and 58 miles (by road) south of Ayr. Kirkcolm is situated 78 miles east of the county capital of Dumfries, with a drive time of 1 hour 45 minutes.
Kirkcolm Parish extends to the very north of the Rhins peninsular with Irish Sea coastline on the east and north boundaries, Loch Ryan on the west boundary and the southern edge has a boundary with Leswalt Parish. The total population of the whole parish is approximately 750 and consists of mainly farms, with Kirkcolm being the sole village in the parish. The B738 circles to the north and east of the parish, with many tracks and small roads leading off it to connect the outlying farms.
A number of small burns sprawl across our rugged, hilly peninsular and the mild climate creates the perfect environment for a vast selection of flora and fauna. Wig Bay and Corsewall are a haven for birds and wildlife, including Red Squirrels and Pine Martins.
There is currently a proposal to create a natural water-fed pool to provide a safe and secure habitat for nesting sea birds and Kirkcolm is also in the proposed area for the new National Park in Galloway, South and East Ayrshire.
Historically Kirkcolm has seen human activity since ancient times. Sheltered from the rough seas of the North Channel and the North Atlantic, Loch Ryan has long been an important safe harbour for vessels. An Iron Age fort is located at Dunskirkloch on the north coast.
In the spring of 1307, at the beginning of Robert the Bruce's campaign in the Wars of Independence, he sent two forces to attempt to gain control of south-west Scotland. One force, led by his two brothers and consisting of eighteen galleys, landed in Loch Ryan. They were immediately overwhelmed by local forces, led by Dougal MacDougal of Clan MacDougal, a supporter of the Comyns.
The barony of Corsewall was held by Alexander Stewart, Lord Garlies from 1622.
The village originally known as Stewarton, or Steuart-town, as a planned village, started in 1789. Prior to that there was no village in the parish, with all settlements associated with farms.
Key industries were farming, in particular Black Galloway cattle, and fishing for salmon, herring and oysters in Loch Ryan. In 1840 there were 40 farms in the parish. Muslim embroidery was an important cottage industry with complete ‘muslim kits’ containing needles, printed muslim blanks and threads being supplied by Glasgow firms to women who did embroidery in their homes.
In more recent history, the sheltered sand spit of Wig Bay was used as an RAF base for Sunderland flying boats that hunted enemy submarines in World War Two and was set up on 12th March 1942. July 1943 saw the arrival of the No. 11 Flying Boat Fitting Unit, in 1944 two hangars were built and by January 1945 over 1000 personnel and 170 aircraft were based at RAF Wig Bay. The site remained in operation after the war to develop and support the Short Sunderland aircraft and RAF Wig Bay closed in November 1955.
Kilmorie Stone
The Kilmorie cross-slab
An Early Medieval cross-slab which is located in Kirkcolm churchyard. The designs on the cross-slab combine Christian and Norse imagery, reflecting Galloway's Viking and Celtic past.
One face of the stone has an elaborately carved cross above a design of intertwined snake-like animals. On the reverse-side is a representation of the Crucifixion. Below is a figure of a man with a pair of tongs and a bird on his shoulder; this may represent Odin or Sigurd.
It is thought the carvings on the Kilmorie Stone show the triumph of Christianity over paganism
Corsewall Castle
Corsewall Castle is a ruined 15th-century tower house to the south-east of Corsewall lighthouse.
It was owned by Alexander Campbell, a son of Sir Duncan Campbell of Loudoun, whose elder brother Andrew was Sheriff of Ayr. The oblong keep once rose to three storeys and lay on a mound which was protected by a ditch.
Now all that remains are the stumps of the four walls, which do not rise beyond a tunnel-vaulted basement. The wall still contains the lower section of a turnpike stair.
A small cannon was discovered here in 1791, and a cache of gold coins, silver-plate and jewellery was uncovered in 1802. The castle was forsaken in favour of Corsewall House, near to Kirkcolm village, by the 18th century.
A legend recorded in the 19th century states that the castle had a spring of such power that, by raising its lid, the owners could at pleasure flood the moat and approaches to the castle.
Corsewall Lighthouse
Corsewall Lighthouse stands on the north-west coast of the Rhins, and marks the approach to Loch Ryan. Opened in 1817.in 1892, engineers installed a new lens and lantern, a major project that took them the entire summer to complete.
Once they had finished their work, they sat down with a quill, an inkwell and a piece of paper and wrote their names, briefly explained the project, then rolled up the paper and slid it inside a glass bottle. They then tucked the bottle inside a cavity in the lighthouse’s wall.
There the bottle remained, until 2024, when engineers were once again at the lighthouse making some repairs. While working on the historic structure, they stumbled upon the glass bottle with the note inside. The note explained they were working on the very same lens described in the 132-year-old note.
The light was automated in 1994 and the rest of the building now operates as a hotel and restaurant.
The lighthouse was built by Robert Stevenson, engineer grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson and is a category A listed building.
Marian Tower
Marian Tower is a 19th-century monument on Craigengerroch Hill, around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of Kirkcolm village
A stone plaque on the side of the tower is inscribed 'Marian Hill 1818'.
Some people say the tower was built to commemorate one of the women from the Ross family of nearby Balsarroch House (the birthplace of the polar explorer, Sir John Ross).
Others claim it is a memorial to a local girl killed by a bull.
Whatever the truth, the views from the monument out to Ailsa Craig and the Firth of Clyde are superb.
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