New Galloway

The name - The New Town of Galloway was first recorded in 1682. The quiet unspoilt and picturesque town of New Galloway lies on the west side of the valley at the north end of Loch Ken. The actual town of New Galloway is largely built around a single north-south High Street that climbs up through the village with a pretty waterfall burn at the lower end, beside which sits the Glenken’s newest asset – The Catstrand community arts facility.

New Galloway the smallest Royal Burgh in Scotland, had its charter granted to Sir John Gordon by King Charles I in 1629 and was probably given to the Gordon family due to the fact that they were large landowners in Galloway at the time. But settlement in this area dates back even further when Kenmure Castle, (which is now a ruin), situated on the edge of the village, was fought over by John Balliol and the Lords of Galloway in the late 1200s. Another historic feature is the Town Hall situated on the high street in the centre of the village, with an attractive tower, dating back to 1875.