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Castle Douglas town is in Dumfries &
Galloway southwest Scotland, 54 miles east of
Stranraer, 18 miles southwest of
Dumfries.
Castle Douglas attracts visitors for its
shops with local produce, hotels with bar
diners, golf, Threave Gardens and Threave
Castle. The town is known as the Food
Town.
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Castle Douglas Road
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for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
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The image top is of the Visitor Centre at
the top of King Street at a large grassland
with car parking. This area also has the large
Wallets Marts cattle
market and a number of Hotels and Inns for bar
meals.
The image second top is looking down King
Street from the Visitor Centre. This is a busy
street with a good selection of local
shops.
The Imperial Hotel is at the top of King
Street by the Visitor Centre.
The lower side of King Street is dominated
by the clock tower.
The Kings Arms Hotel sits on the corner of
St Andrew Street and Queen Street.
The Town Clock Tower was built in 1935 of
local granite from the neighbouring town of
Dalbeattie, and hard red sandstone
from the Dumfries area. These are the two types
of stone that were quarried in Dumfries and
Galloway to be sold for the construction of
expensive buildings all over the UK and
beyond.
The Town Hall is on St Andrew Street by the
Clock Tower, built in 1863. The red sandstone
on this building shows why it was so sought
after, 150 years later and it is like the day
it was built. Red sandstone from many other
areas was known to be soft and prone to
erosion. The hall is used for many events
throughout the year.
St John the Evangelist Church was built in
1868, by the Town Hall. This is one of 5
churches in the town, with the St Andrews
Church converted to the Fullarton Theatre in
1992. The theatre website lists films and
events.
The Fullarton Theatre is on the south side
of the town by the scenic Carlingwark Park
& Loch, with a popular walk around the
loch.
The Castle Douglas Golf
Club is right next to the north side of the
town. This a tree lined 9 hole parks course
that welcomes visitors.
Threave House and Gardens are 1 and a
half miles southwest of Castle Douglas. The
gardens are real popular with cafes, gift shop,
and there are tours of the house available.
Threave Castle is 2 miles southwest
of Castle Douglas. This is a popular attraction
with a half mile walk out to the castle, then a
boat trip to cross a river.
There are a number of birds of prey nesting
in the castle, and in the trees by the
castle.
Castle Douglas History
70 AD - the first Roman fort is built to the
north of Castle Douglas by the Roman general
Gnaeus Julius Agricola as he set about trying
to take control of Scotland.
142 - the Roman fort at Castle Douglas was
rebuilt as the Romans tried a second time to
take control of Scotland.
162 - the Romans withdrew from Scotland
behind Hadrian's Wall along the north of
England.
1370s - Threave Castle is built for
Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of Douglas.
1745 - General Wade built a military road
through Galloway after the Jacobite rising of that year,
allowing more trade in the area.
The road ran from northern England to the
port towns of Portpatrick and Stranraer on
the west coast, leading to a trade route with
Ireland.
1792 - the American trader William Douglas
began the building of Castle Douglas town at
the north end of Carlingwark Loch.
Douglas ran a number of industries in the
town such as hand-woven cotton factories, with
a street in the town named Cotton Street.
1800s - a number of Coaching Inns were built
for the trade passing through the town. These
are now hotels.
1859 - the Castle Douglas and Dumfries
Railway was completed allowing greater
trade.
1900 - the large cattle market was built in
the town, largest cattle market in Dumfries and
Galloway.
1935 - the clock tower was built as the
towns main feature.
1940s - the town was used to hold many
children from Glasgow during World War Two.
1943 to 1944 - the town was the base for a
Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment that was training
for the invasion of Europe.
1965 - the railway closed.
Today - Castle Douglas is a popular base for
visitors touring the vast number of attractions
in the area.
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