Newton Stewart

Newton Stewart
Scottish Gaelic: Baile Ùr nan Stiùbhartach
The River Cree with Newton Stewart beyond
Newton Stewart  Newton Stewart shown within Dumfries and Galloway
Population	3,573 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	NX405655
Council area	Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy area	Wigtownshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWTON STEWART
Postcode district	DG8
Dialling code	01671
Police	Scottish
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Dumfries and Galloway
Scottish Parliament	Galloway and West Dumfries
List of places UK Scotland

Coordinates: 54°57′29″N 4°29′31″W / 54.958°N 4.492°W / 54.958; -4.492

Newton Stewart (Gd: Baile Ùr nan Stiùbhartach) is a former burgh town on the Machars peninsula in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. The town lies around the River Cree with the majority of the town to the west of the river, and is sometimes referred to as the "Gateway to the Galloway Hills".^[1] Newton Stewart has also recently been twinned with the French town of Marcoussis.

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 a large amount of jobs to the town.

Tourism

There are numerous nature trails nearby as part of Galloway Forest Park, managed on behalf of the state by Forest Enterprise. There is a local museum at St. John's Church, a doll's house exhibition and a butterfly and tropical plant house nearby. The latter two are no longer open for visitors. Newton Stewart is also only 7 miles 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.^[2] Designed by John Rennie the Elder and built in 1813 the present bridge replaced the old bridge of 1745 which was destroyed by floods in 1806.

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 temporarily renamed "Newton Douglas" in his honour.

The nearby village of Blackcraig was once a major lead-mining centre. Granite from the area was used in the construction of most major dock-sides in Britain.

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 and forms part of the international E-road, European route E18 from Northern Ireland to Russia. Local transport in and around the town and to places in South Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway is mainly provided by Stagecoach Western,^[3] and locally based company James King Coaches.

Newton Stewart's railway station closed in 1965, as a result of the Beeching Axe.^[4] The nearest railway stations being at Stranraer railway station and Barrhill railway station which are 25 miles and 18.5 miles away from Newton Stewart respectively.

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

The horror film The Wicker Man was filmed almost entirely on location around Newton Stewart and had its premiere at its cinema in 1972.

Notable people

The artist and musician Bill Drummond of the KLF and K Foundation grew up in the town.

References