Newton Stewart – Dumfries and Galloway – is a very important market town. It serves a sizeable rural area including the large Galloway Forest Park as well as The Marchars region to the south. It is located on the bank of the Cree River in an area that became popular as a crossing. On the opposite side is the small town of Minnigaff.
In the early 1600s, King James VI ordered the construction of a military road to Portpatrick from the city of Dumfries. This road forded the Cree River at the place that is now Newton Stewart. Since then it became an important stopping point on the way to and from Dumfries.
The actual name of the town was not given until the Stewart family planned development of the area. A bridge was built over the river in the mid-18th century, but this was razed to the ground in both 1806 and 1813 and replaced by a stronger bridge that still stands.
The modern city stretches along the west bank of the river for more than a mile. The main street has many attractive and historic buildings. Near the bridge is the town hall which was built in 1800. Opposite this is the famous Galloway Arms Hotel and the city’s cinema.
If you enjoy the great outdoors, you can base yourself in Newton Stewart as you explore the vast Galloway Forest Park. Here you will find more than three hundred square miles of ancient forests, lakes, moors and peaks. It is a paradise for walkers and hikers; there are some of the largest wilderness areas to be had anywhere in the British Isles. The center of the park is dominated by Merrick’s Hill which rises to a height of 843 meters. Nearby are many nature reserves that are a boon to ornithologists who travel across the country to visit.
