Port William, Dumfries and Galloway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Port William |
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 View over Port William Harbour |
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 Port William
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| Population | 460 |
| OS grid reference | NX338435 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWTON STEWART |
| Postcode district | DG8 |
| Police | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Fire | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Port William (Scottish Gaelic: Cill na Tràghad) is a fishing village in the parish of Mochrum in the historical county of Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, in Scotland with a population of approximately 460.
Port William has a post office and small general store, a takeaway, a restaurant, a community charity shop and a couple of other stores. Beyond Port William, the nearest shopping is in Whithorn, whilst the nearest supermarkets are in Newton Stewart.
Monreith House, a category A listed Georgian mansion is located 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the village.
The Harbour
The harbour was extended in 1790 and again in 1848, and it continued to have commercial importance until the end of the First World War.
Further work was done to protect the harbour in the 1980s by building a breakwater to the western side of the harbour.
It then steadily became what you see today, a haven for small fishing and leisure craft.
A recent reflection of Port William's seafaring heritage is found in the life-size fisherman's statue overlooking the harbour. This was once made of concrete, but following a public appeal it has been remade in bronze. The statue was part-funded by the millennium lottery fund. In front of the statue is a plaque with the first verse of the poem Leisure by W. H. Davies.
Notable people
Gavin Maxwell FRSL, FIAL, FZS (Sc.), FRGS was a Scottish naturalist and author, best known for his non-fiction writing and his work with otters. Maxwell was born at The House of Elrig near the small village of Elrig, near Port William. Maxwell's relatives still live in the area and the family's ancient estate and grounds are in nearby Monreith.
