Stranrawer

**Stranraer** ( , ; ) in Scotland, cryed locally as "The Toon", is a toon in the pairish o Inch, Dumfries an Gallowa, Scotland. Stranrawer is in the historical coonty o Wigtounshire. It lies on the shores o Loch Ryan, on the northren side o the isthmus jynin the Rhins o Gallowa til the mainland.  Stranrawer is Dumfries an Gallowa's seicont-lairgest toon, wi a population includin the surroondin aurie o awmaist 13,000.

Stranrawer is the admeenistrative centre for the Wast Gallowa Wigtounshire aurie o Dumfries an Gallowa. It wis umwhile a ferry port, connectin Scotland wi Belfast an Lairne in Northren Ireland; the service wis relocatit tae nearby The Cairn in November 2011. It lies bi road 87.4 mile southwast o Glesga an 72.8 mile til the wast o Dumfries. 

The name comes fae the Scots Gaelic *An t-Sròn Reamhar* meanin "the braid heidland".

## Transport

The A77 road rins north taewart Ayr, Preswick, an Glesga. The A75 road rins fae Stranrawer tae Gretna, wi links til the M6 motorwey gaun tae Cairl. The A75 is pairt o European route E18, bit, like aw European routes, it isna signpostit as sic in the Unitit Kinrick.

The main national coach providers operate services fae Stranrawer. National Express offer a service tae Lunnon, an Scottish Citylink (in associe wi Ulsterbus operate services til Edinburgh. Local transport in an aroond the toon is providit bi Stagecoach West Scotland, an local companys, includin McCulloch's Coaches.

Stranraer railwey station is the soothren stance for ane o the brainch lines o the Glasgow South Western Line Trains is providit bi Abellio ScotRail daily til Ayr, Glesga Central, an tae Kilmarnock. Fae Stranraer connections til the West Coast Main Line can be made at Glesga Central, or traivelin via Ayr, Kilmarnock, Dumfries tae Cairl. Onwart trains fae baith Glesga Central or Cairl connect direct tae London Euston an ither destinations sic as Manchester Picadilly, Crewe, and Birmingham New Street. 

In November 2011, Stena Line relocatit its ferry services til a new port at Auld Hoose Pynt, north o The Cairn that is a wheen o miles north o Stranrawer. The existin port in Stranrawer micht be redevelopit wi the depairtur o Stena Line; owertures tae build a transport hub hae been made.

Baith Campbelltown Airport an Glesga Prestwick Airport, at aroond 45 mile, is the closest airports in Scotland tae Stranraer. George Best Belfast City Airport in Northren Ireland is 39 mile awa.

## Economy

The main industries in the aurie is the ferry port, wi associatit industries; tourism; an mair tradeetional, fermin.

## Climate

Like maist o the Unitit Kinrick, Stranrawer his an oceanic climate (Köppen: *Cfb*). The nearest wather station tae Stranraer is locatit at RAF West Freugh, aroond 5 mile sooth o Stranrawer.

## Redevelopment

The European Union is pairtly financin The Stranraer and Loch Ryan Waterfront Project tae regenerate the aurie.

At an estimatit cost o £1.29 million, the Castle Square development will be the first phase o the redevelopment o Stranrawer toon centre an signeeficant chainge the flowe o traffeck, wi Castle Street an George Street baith bein nairit in a bit tae be mair ganger-freendly. Bi Januar 2010, wirk on the streets wis complete, wi the streets aroond the Castle o St John re-paved and re-profile't. The Castle Square wis formal unveilt in Mairch 2011 an his sae faur hostit a range o acteevitys, includin muisic an faimily events.

Stranrawer is praisently unnergaun redevelopment in the South Central Area (kent as Dick's Hill, Ochtrelure, an the soothren pairt o Liddesdle Road auire intil the Gallow Hill).

## Historic an namely biggins

The Castle o St John is a medieval tour hoose, built aroond 1500 bi the Adairs o Kilhilt. It his been uised as a hame, a coort, a preeson, an a militar gairison - the last durin The Killin Times in the 1680s. The Auld Toon Hoose, built in 1776, noo hooses the Stranrawer Museum wi tis shawins o Victorian Wigtounshire an the toon's polar explorers, Sir John Ross an his neffae James Clark Ross. The toon is hame an aw tae North West Castle, built in 1820 an the first hottle in the warld wi its ain inby curlin sheet.

## Laundmerks

Local tourist attractions include:

* Ardwell Gairdens
* Castle o St John
* Castle Kennedy Gairdens - a 75-acre gairden atween twa lochs, notit for its rhododendrons, azaleas, an embothriums, in the grunds o Lochinch Castle, the seat ot the Yerls o Stair
* Glenluce Aibey - a 12t century Cistercian monastery
* Glenwhan Gairdens - a 12-acre gairden near Dunragit
* Logan Botanic Gairden, near the veelage o Port Logan, ane o the fower sites o the Ryal Botanic Gairden Edinburgh
* Mull o Gallowa - the soothrenmaist pynt o Scotland, wi a lichthoose, a veesitor centre, an a RSPB bird reserve
* Portpaitrick
* The Robert the Bruce Trail begins at Loch Ryan
* Soothren Upland Wey - a 212 mile coast-tae-coast paith atween Portpaitrick an Cockburnspaith
* Stranrawer Museum

 
## Eddication

Stranrawer his five primary schuils:

* Belmont
* Park
* Rephad
* St Joseph's R.C.
* Sheuchan

The seicontary schuil, Stranraer Academy, is a comprehensive schuil conseestin o ane modren biggin (New Building Phase 2 completit in 2010). The schuil his aroond 1,200 scholarts, 90 members o staff an serves the aurie o Stranraer, the Rhins, an pairts o the Machars in Wigtounshire. Stranraer Academy his anither seiven associatit primary schuils fae auries ootby Stranraer: Glenluce, Castle Kennedy, Drummore, Kirkcolm, Leswalt, Saundheid, an Portpaitrick. The oreeginal Stranraer Academy wis appent in 1845 on the site o the praisent Stranraer Campus o Dumfries and Galloway College. In 1965, a new Academy (B Block) wis built alangside a new Heich Schuil (A Block) an in 1970 the schuils gaed thegither. Dumfries and Galloway College his a campus in the toon. In 1990, the John Niven Education College wis built on Academy Street in the toon; it his been syne absorbit intil the Dumfries and Galloway College.

## Sport

The toon is the hame o Stranraer F.C., the local semi-perfaisional fitbaw team that plays at Stair Park. Thay praisently plays in the Scottish League One. 

The rugby team Wigtownshire RFC is sted in the toon, playkkn at London Road Playing Fields, opposite Stair Park, an is praisently in West League Division 2.

At Stair Park the're BMX an skeitchbuirdin ledges an aw, an aw-wather tennis coorts an netbaw coorts. The toon his a soumin-puil an aw (wi a fluim), fitness suites, gymnasium, an a lairge sports haw at the cooncil-run Ryan Centre, as weel as ither fitbaw fields, pairks, an aw-wather multi-purpose pitches.

Ootthrou the years, Stranrawer his been an aw a centre o excellence for Scots curlin. The toon blowsts the first hottle in the warld wi an inby curlin sheet (North West Castle), an wis the birthplace o Hammy McMillan, a Warld Kemp curler that conteenas tae bide in the toon nouadays. The toon is host til a nummer o annual curlin kemps, includin the Scots Leddys Curlin Kemp and the Warld Junior Curlin Kemp.

The're twa lawn-bouls clubs an aw in Stranrawer. Baith clubs hae wun major national an international honours in recent years.

A smaw leisur-boat marina wis biggit in Stranrawer Herbour in 2008.

In 2019 the Scots Coastal Rowin Kemps, Skiffieworld, wis haudit at Stranrawer atween 7 an 13 Julie. Ower 50 clubls race't St Ayles Skiffs durin the week.

## Public services

NHS Dumfries and Galloway provides healcare services in the toon. The Galloway Community Hospital appent in 2006 an replace't the Garrick an Dalrymple infirmarys in the toon. Geneneral Practeesoner (GP) services is sted in the Waverly Medical Centre, aside the new infirmary.

The toon haes a nummer o care hames for the elderin, the mucklemaist bein Thorneycroft on the edges o the toon, run bi the CIC company.

## Media

The local newspaper, *[[Stranraer and Wigtownshire Free Press]]"" is sted an printit in the toon's St Andrews Street. The *Galloway Gazeette kivers the toon an aw, an the surroondin aurie. Stranrawer faws in the ITV Border televeesion aurie. The nearest radio station is sted in Belfast; houiver the nearest local station is sted in Dumfries. West Sound FM braidcasts on 96.5 FM in the toon.

In Juin 2009, Stranrawer stairtit the transition fae analogue tae digital televeesion, makkin it ane o the first auries in the kintra tae dae sae, ahint Workington an The Mairches. This appent up a number o digital services for the toon an the surroondin auries, that afore struggle't tae get even the likes o Chainel Five on thair televeesion sets.

## History

The Battle o Loch Ryan wis fochten near Stranrawer on 9/10 Februar 1307 durin the Wars o Scots Unthirldom. Keeng Robert I o Scotland's invasion o his ancestoral launds in Annandale an Carrick begoud in 1307. The Annandale an Gallowa invasion force wis led bi his brithers Alexander de Brus an Tammas de Brus; Malcolm McQuillan, Laird o Kintyre; an Irish sub-keeng, an Sir Reginal Crawford. The force consistit o 1,000 men an 18 gaileys. Thay sailt intae Loch Ryan an laundit near Stranrawer. The invasion force wis quickly owerwhalmt bi local forces, led bi Dungal MacDouall that wis an uphauder o the Balliols, Comyns, an Keeng Edward I o England, an anely twa gaileys escapit. Aw the leaders wis capturt. Dungal MacDouall short an lang executit the Irish sub-keeng an Malcolm McQuillan, Laird o Kintyre. Alexander, Tammas, and Reginald wis sent tae Cairl, whaur thay wis executit. The heids o McQuillan an twa Irish chiefs wis sent tae Keeng Edward I.

On 12 November 1595, the "Clashant o Stranrawer" is name't pairt o Ninian Adair's launds o Barony an in 1596 wis upset intil a burgh o barony, the Barony o Kinhilt. This is recordit in the Register o the Great Seal o Scotland. Pairt o the record translates:

At Lithgae, 12 November 1595, the Keeng confirms an for faithfu service again dedicates tae Ninian Adair o Kinhilt, an the richtous male heirs o his body, that failin his nearest richtous male heirs whasaeiver beir the name an inseegnie o Adair [various launds]... In addeetion, the Keeng creauts the veelage at Clachan o Stranrawer as a free burgh an Port o Stranrawer; and the said Ninian etc sall hae the authority tae appynt a bailie, thesaurer, Dean o Guild, judge, burgesses, offeecials, etc; an the burgesses sal hae the authority an leave tae pack an unpack [meanin the sellin o bouk guids (halesale tred) alloud bi law anely in a free burgh], tae buy an tae sell [alloued anely in a free burgh an aw] etc; [...] an the said Ninian etc sall hae authority tae haud the poseetion o governor o the said burgh, [...] tae haud weekly mercats on Seturday, wi free (no taxt) mercat days twice a year, viz St Barnabas Day the 11th o June, an at Peter's Impreesonment cried Lammas Day on the 1t o August, [...] an the said Ninian etc sall hae authority ower aw the port customs o the said burgh raised bi sea or laund amang the laund tenants o the said burgh an uphaudin o the said port; an the said Ninian etc sall hae authority tae receive resignations o launds o the said burgh etc [that is, rekiver his launds fae townsfowk that chuise tae sell thaim or gie thaim up]; fae thae persons whatsaeiver that chose tae pit by thaim; the townsfowk can meet three times a week on Monanday, Wadensday, an Friday 

Bi 1600, Stranrawer hid become the mercat toon for wastren Wigtounshire. At aboot this time, Stranrawer wis reakit bi a militar road built fae Dumfries tae allou easier aiccess tae Portpaitrick for transportation o people til Ireland for the Plantation o Ulster. Stranrawer becam a ryal burgh in 1617.

The first herbor in Stranrawer wis built in the mid-18t century, wi forder port development in teh 1820s. The arrival o the railwey fae Dumfries in 1861 (closed 1965), giein the shortest jurney tae/fae Lunnon, estaiblisht final Stranraer as the aurie's main port. In 1862 the line wis stendit tae serve the herbour direct, an a link tae Portpaitrick wis apptent an aw. In 1877, a rail connection north tae Girvan an Glesga wis estaiblisht an aw. Stranrawer remeent the main Scots port for the Irish ferrys for the neist 150 year o sae. On 31 Januar 1953, 133 people dee'd whan the MV Princess Victoria sank near Belfast Loch efter its caur deck wis owersumpit bi hivy seas.

Stranrawer an its surroondin aurie saw a signeeficant amoont o acteevity durin Warld War II, as it becam a focus for anti-U-boat wirk. Fleein boats operatit fae the aurie in an attempt tae siccar the watters o the North Chainel an the soothwastren coast o Scotland. Awmaist aw o Breetain's shippin imports passt throu thae twa sea auries en route til the Clyde or the Mersey. The fleein boat *[[Supermarine Stranraer]]* is name't efter the toon. Winston Churchill himsel depairtit fae Stranraer in a Boeing Flying boat on the nicht o 25 Juin 1942, whan makkin his seicont veesit o the war til the USA. Churchill spent time an aw at nearby Knockinaam Lodge durin the war years.

Stranrawer his an active local history trust that publishes wirk on the aurie's history, commissiont fae local scrievers.

## Gailerie


File:Stranraer Museum - geograph.org.uk - 870543.jpg|Stranrawer Museum occupies the Auld Toon Hoose, built in 1777.
File:Panoramic view of Stranraer, Scotland.jpg|Panoramic view o Stranrawer, as viewed fae Gallowhill
File:Stranraer from NE.jpg|Stranrawer an the shores o Loch Ryan, view fae the northeast end o toon.
File:Stranraer - panoramio (8).jpg|Stranrawer 
File:Stranraer Castle.jpg|Stranrawer Castle (Castle o St John).
File:Stranraer - panoramio (3).jpg|Hungry Caterpillars, Stranrawer
File:Stranraer Station - geograph.org.uk - 934303.jpg|Stranraer railwey station. 
File:Innermessan, near Stranraer - geograph.org.uk - 1302313.jpg|Innermessan, near Stranrawer.


## Destricts
*Ailsa Gait
*Ailsa View
*Bishopburn
*Ochtrelure
*Sheuchan Parks / Liddesdale
*Stair
*Stranrawer Toon Centre
*West End

### Ootby destricts
*Auchtrelure
*Blackparks
*Culhorn
*Gallowhill
*Inchparks
*Innermessan
*Sandmill
*Soulseat

## Cultural references

* The sang "Cap in hand" bi The Proclaimers says "I can understand why Stranraer lie so lowly, than could save a lot of points by singing Hibs' goalie", a referance tae goalkeeper Andy Goram an tae Stranraer FC's puir league poseetion at the tame the sang wis written.

* In the fowert episdoe o the BBC Radio 4 series *[[Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge]]* ane o the guests wis the Duchess o Stranraer. No sic title exists.

* Stranrawer his featurt in Peter Kay's Channel 4 Phoenix Nights series, awbeit anely bi name. Ae chairacter, Alan, is said tae be stucken in Stranrawer wi his larrie an no at the club.

* Stranrawer is mentiont in season 3 episode 7 o Sons of Anarchy.

* BBC TV's 2000 Acres of Sky (sternin Paul Kaye an ex-EastEnders starn Michelle Collins wis filmt in an aroond Stranrawer. The veelage in the shaw wis Port Logan, aboot 13 mile til the sooth on the coast.

## Namely fowk

* Vicki Adams (born 1989) - curlin Olympic medallist

* David Broadfoot (1899-1953) - hero o the 1953 MV Princess Victoria sinkin

* James Caird (1816-1892) - agricultural scriever an politeecian

* Colin Calderwood (born 1965) - fitbaw player an manager

* James Dalrymple, 1t Viscoont o Stair (1619-1695) - jurist an author o *The institutions o the Laws o Scotland*

* John Dalrymple, 1t Yerl o Stair (1648-1701) - sat as MP for the burgh o Stranrawer in the 1689 Convention Pairlament

* Craig Hamilton (born 1979) - rugby player

* Thomas de Courcy Hamilton VC (1825-1908) - recieved the Victoria Cross for his actions at Sevastopol durin the Crimean War

* Leander Starr Jameson (1853-1917) - leader o the Jameson Raid, a precursor o the Seicont Boer War, an Prime Meenister o the Cape Colony, eeditor o the *Wigtownshire Free Press*

* Robert William Jameson (1805-1868) - author, eeditor o the *Wigtownshire Free Press*, faither o Leander Starr Jameson

* Allan Jenkins (born 1981) - perfaisional fitbawer

* Major-General Sir John Noble Kennedy (1893-1970) - Breetish Airmy officer, author, an colonial governor (Soothren Rhodesia)

* Keith Knox (born 1964) - fitbawer

* Kevin Kyle (born 1981) - fitbawer

* Allan Little (born 1959) - BBC furrin correspondent

* John Livingstone (1603-1672) - meenister banisht tae Rotterdam

* John Claudius Loudon (1783-1843) - laundskip gairdener an horticultural scriever that laid oot the grunds at Castle Kennedy in 1841

* Rory Loy (born 1988) - fitbawer

* Robert McDouall (1774-1848) - Breetish Airmy officer, Napoleonic Wars

* William McFadzean, Baron McFadzean (1903-1996) - industrialist an preses o Federation of British Industries

* Hammy McMillan (born 1963) - Warld Curlin Kemp 1999

* Shaun McSkimming (born 1970) - fitbawer

* James Mavor (1854-1925) - economist, economic historian, Professor o Poleetical Economy an Constitutional History at the University o Toronto

* Major-General Sir Robert Pringle (1855-1925) - Breetish Airmy officer - Director-General o the Ryal Airmy Veterinary Corps 1910-17

* John Rennie (1842-1918) - navail airchitecht

* Sir John Ross (1777-1856) - polar explorer

* David Spiers (born 1984) - Australian politeecian

* Dame Lesley Strathie (1955-2012) - Chief Executive o HM Revenue and Customs

* Peter Wilson (born 1961) - Warld Junion Curlin Kemp 1981

## References
 

## Forder readin

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