Haugh of Urr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Haugh of Urr
Haugh of Urr shown within Scotland
OS grid reference	NX8066
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Kirkcudbrightshire
Constituent country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CASTLE DOUGLAS
Postcode district	DG7
Dialling code	01556
Police	Dumfries and Galloway
Fire	Dumfries and Galloway
Ambulance	Scottish
European Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Dumfries and Galloway
Scottish Parliament	Dumfries
List of places: UK • Scotland

Coordinates: 54°58′43″N 3°52′07″W / 54.978726, -3.868707

Haugh of Urr, is a village in the Urr parish, Kirkcudbrightshire, in South West Scotland. It is approximately 4 miles NNW of Dalbeattie, 3 miles NE of Castle Douglas, 12 1/2 miles west of Dumfries and 12 1/2 miles east of Kirkcudbright. It is pronounced hoch of ur, with Haugh rhyming with the Scottish pronunication of loch.

Town	Local authority	Co-ordinates	OS grid reference
Haugh of Urr	Dumfries and Galloway	54.97° N 03.87° W	NX8066

1 Description
2 River Urr
3 Motte of Urr
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Description

The village is situated beside the River Urr. ('Haugh' means river-meadow or a level piece of ground beside a stream). ^[1] It has one shop, incorporating a part-time Post Office, one pub, the Laurie Arms, one Church (Church of Scotland), a Village Hall, a Scout hut, and a small village green. Hardgate is a nearby hamlet up the hill and the boundaries are indistinct. Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the local economy. The approximate population for 7 km radius of the village is 1201. ^[2] The village is known to locals as "The Haugh".

[edit] River Urr

The River Urr is noted for salmon fishing. The river originates at Glenlair and flows for thirty miles from Loch Urr to its outflow into the Solway Firth at Kippford near Dalbeattie.

[edit] Motte of Urr

The Motte of Urr, is the site of a Motte-and-bailey castle. Today this medieval earthwork near the Haugh of Urr is said to be the most extensive bailey earthwork in Scotland. It lies beside the River Urr to the north west of Dalbeattie. It dates from the 12th century, and covers an area of about 2 ha (5 acres). In the present day, there are no excavations or walls. It is associated with Buittle Castle, a courtyard castle dating to about 1230, which was destroyed early in the 14th century and belonged to Devorgilla and her husband John I de Balliol (founder of Balliol College, at Oxford University). Together they bore the future king John of Scotland.