Kirkcudbright in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Kirkcudbright, parl. and royal burgh, par., and co. town of Kirkcudbrightshire--par., 12,280 ac., pop. 3479; parl. burgh, royal burgh, and town, on river Dee, at its influx into Kirkcudbright Bay, 30 miles SW. of Dumfries and 354 miles NW. of London by rail, pop. 2571; P.O., T.O., 3 Banks. Market-day, Friday. Kirkcudbright, long a burgh of regality, was made a royal burgh in 1455. Its antiquities are numerous--vestiges of an ancient castle of the Lords of Galloway, visited by Edward I., James II., Henry VI., and James IV.; the ruins of a castle built (1528) by Sir Thomas Maclellan of Bombie, ancestor of the Lords Kirkcudbright; the site of a monastery of the Grey Friars; and the old Court-house and Jail, a quaint edifice of the 16th century, now partly used as a Volunteer drill hall and armoury. In front of this building is the ancient market cross. Kirkcudbright has almost no mfrs., and its trade is purely local. Its harbour (Kirkcudbright Bay) is the most spacious, most accessible, and most safe in the S. of Scotland, but it is suitable only for small vessels, and the commerce is confined to the coast. On Little Ross island, at the mouth of the bay, is a lighthouse with flashing light (Little Ross) seen 18 miles. Regular steam communication is maintained with Liverpool. Kirkcudbright is one of the Dumfries District of Parl. Burghs, which returns 1 member.