Gatehouse of Fleet
Encyclopedia
Gatehouse of Fleet is a town in Dumfries and Galloway
, Scotland, which has existed since the mid-18th century, although the area has been inhabited since much earlier. Much of its development was attributable to the entrepreneur James Murray's decision to build his summer home, Cally (now a hotel), there in 1765.
Over the next hundred years, the town developed into a centre for industry, particularly cotton mill
s. The western approach to the town is dominated by the imposing Cardoness Castle
. Gatehouse of Fleet is the birthplace of Victorian
artist John Faed
. The renowned inventor of clockwork mechanisms, Robert Williamson was also known to have set up a workshop in the town in 1778, which burned to the ground (and claimed his life) in 1794.
The town takes its name from its location near the mouth of the river called the Water of Fleet
which empties into Wigtown
Bay at Fleet Bay, and its former role as the ’’Gait House’’ or "the House on the Road on the River Fleet" or toll booth of the late 18th century stagecoach
route from Dumfries
to Stranraer
, now the A75 road
. It was a safe haven along this route, and travellers would often stop in the area rather than furthering the journey at night due to the high numbers of bandits and highwaymen at the time.
The settlement of Anwoth
is one mile (1.5 km) to the east of Gatehouse of Fleet, it being the place where Samuel Rutherford
was minister from 1627 to 1636.
Gatehouse has the second oldest average population of towns in Scotland.
called The Mill on the Fleet. Along the road there is a beautiful castle called Cardoness Castle
. Near the town there are fine beaches at Carrick and Sandgreen, and the Cream o' Galloway visitor attraction. There is good rock climbing at the Clints of Dromore near the old Gatehouse of Fleet railway station.
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, Scotland, which has existed since the mid-18th century, although the area has been inhabited since much earlier. Much of its development was attributable to the entrepreneur James Murray's decision to build his summer home, Cally (now a hotel), there in 1765.
Over the next hundred years, the town developed into a centre for industry, particularly cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s. The western approach to the town is dominated by the imposing Cardoness Castle
Cardoness Castle
Cardoness Castle is a well-preserved 15th Century tower house just south west of Gatehouse of Fleet, south west Scotland. It was originally owned by the MacCulloch family of Galloway also known as the MacCullochs of Myreton. They abandoned the castle in the late 17th Century, following the...
. Gatehouse of Fleet is the birthplace of Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
artist John Faed
John Faed
John Faed, R.S.A. was a Scottish painter.Born three months after Queen Victoria, John was the eldest son of the six children of James Faed, tenant of Barlay Mill, Galloway, and Mary née McGeoch...
. The renowned inventor of clockwork mechanisms, Robert Williamson was also known to have set up a workshop in the town in 1778, which burned to the ground (and claimed his life) in 1794.
The town takes its name from its location near the mouth of the river called the Water of Fleet
Water of Fleet
The Water of Fleet is a river in Scotland flowing into Fleet Bay on the Solway. Its two tributaries are the 'Big Water of Fleet', which begins around Loch Grannoch, and the 'Little Water of Fleet'. The river flows through Gatehouse of Fleet before meeting the sea.The Big Water of Fleet is...
which empties into Wigtown
Wigtown
Wigtown is a town and former royal burgh in the Machars of Galloway in the south west of Scotland. It lies south of Newton Stewart and east of Stranraer. It has a population of about 1,000...
Bay at Fleet Bay, and its former role as the ’’Gait House’’ or "the House on the Road on the River Fleet" or toll booth of the late 18th century stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route from Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
to Stranraer
Stranraer
Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland...
, now the A75 road
A75 road
The A75 is a major road in Scotland, heading west along the south coast of Scotland from its junction with the A74 motorway at Gretna. It continues past Eastriggs, Annan, Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart and Glenluce before ending at Stranraer.The majority of the road...
. It was a safe haven along this route, and travellers would often stop in the area rather than furthering the journey at night due to the high numbers of bandits and highwaymen at the time.
The settlement of Anwoth
Anwoth
Anwoth is a settlement near the Solway Firth in the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright, in South West Scotland, within a parish of the same name in the Vale of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway. Anwoth lies a mile to the west of Gatehouse of Fleet....
is one mile (1.5 km) to the east of Gatehouse of Fleet, it being the place where Samuel Rutherford
Samuel Rutherford
Samuel Rutherford was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian and author, and one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Westminster Assembly.-Life:...
was minister from 1627 to 1636.
Gatehouse has the second oldest average population of towns in Scotland.
Notable people
- Joe AnsbroJoe AnsbroJoe Ansbro is a Scottish international professional rugby union player. He is the first player of Afro-Caribbean origin to represent Scotland at test level in history. His favoured position is centre. He is currently playing for London Irish. -Early years:Ansbro was born in Glasgow and raised near...
was raised near Gatehouse of Fleet and schooled at Gatehouse Primary School. - Hamish MacInnesHamish MacInnesDr Hamish MacInnes is a Scottish mountaineer, leading mountain search and rescuer, author and advisor. He is the leading Scottish winter mountaineer of the generation following W. H. Murray....
, the well known mountaineer and pioneer of mountain rescueMountain rescueMountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted...
in Scotland was born in the town in 1930. - Katrina BryanKatrina BryanKatrina Bryan was born and raised in Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway, South West, Scotland in 1980. She is a Scottish actress who has starred in Taggart, Nina and the Neurons, See you, See me and Sea of Souls. She has been active since 1999. Bryan has a BA in Acting from Queen Margaret...
, the "Nina" of the CBeebiesCBeebiesCBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
show Nina and the NeuronsNina and the NeuronsNina and the Neurons is a programme shown on the CBeebies channel aimed at four to six-year-olds to help them understand basic science. Nina is a neuroscientist who enlists the help of her Neurons in her brain to answer a scientific question.The show is produced by Lucille McLaughlin, who has also...
, was born in the town in 1980. - John FaedJohn FaedJohn Faed, R.S.A. was a Scottish painter.Born three months after Queen Victoria, John was the eldest son of the six children of James Faed, tenant of Barlay Mill, Galloway, and Mary née McGeoch...
, James FaedJames FaedJames Faed was one of three famous Scottish brother painters/artists.-Early life:James was the second son of the six children of James Faed, tenant of Barlay Mill, near Gatehouse of Fleet, Galloway, and Mary née McGeoch...
, Thomas FaedThomas FaedThomas Faed RSA was a Scottish painter who is said to have done for Scottish art what Robert Burns did for Scottish song.Faed was born on 8 June 1826, in Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkcudbrightshire, and was the brother of John Faed....
, Boab Patterson-Faed and Susan Bell Faed, members of the celebrated family of Victorian artists, were all born at Barlay Mill Royal Infirmary, Gatehouse of Fleet.
Attractions
There is a park called Garries Park which is very famous in the town and there is a restored mill next to the River FleetRiver Fleet
The River Fleet is the largest of London's subterranean rivers. Its two headwaters are two streams on Hampstead Heath; each is now dammed into a series of ponds made in the 18th century, the Hampstead Ponds and the Highgate Ponds. At the south edge of Hampstead Heath these two streams flow...
called The Mill on the Fleet. Along the road there is a beautiful castle called Cardoness Castle
Cardoness Castle
Cardoness Castle is a well-preserved 15th Century tower house just south west of Gatehouse of Fleet, south west Scotland. It was originally owned by the MacCulloch family of Galloway also known as the MacCullochs of Myreton. They abandoned the castle in the late 17th Century, following the...
. Near the town there are fine beaches at Carrick and Sandgreen, and the Cream o' Galloway visitor attraction. There is good rock climbing at the Clints of Dromore near the old Gatehouse of Fleet railway station.