In November 2015, Ian McIntyre posed the question “Anyone know the significance of 52 High St. in the town’s history?” In this Blog, Jim Bell tells us about the connection between Robert Burns and The Head Inn.
Jim Bell’s Blog
Jim Bell’s Blog: The Madras Cottages
The story behind why some humble cottages near the harbour were named after an accident at sea.
Jim Bell’s Blog: Atkinson Place
This article is shared from Stewartry Old Postcards and Local Snippets – Jim Bell 29/08/25
Walk down St Mary Street and tucked just out of view is a Victorian square built not for grandeur, but for grace. What we now call Atkinson Place began in 1869, when a letter postmarked London arrived at Kirkcudbright Kirk Session bearing £200 and a simple wish: to build “one or more Alms Houses with some of the comforts of Prince Albert’s model cottages.” The donor asked only for public receipt—their identity veiled in modesty.
Over the next decade, more anonymous gifts arrived, eventually totalling £3,500. By 1880, construction was complete: sixteen little cottages, arranged in three neat sides, entered by wrought-iron gates inscribed with “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The benefactor was later revealed as Edward Atkinson, a Kirkcudbright native and manager of the Provincial Bank of England—and uncle to artist E. A. Hornel, adding a touch of artistic lineage to the tale.
Jim Bell’s Blog: Why does Galloway have a Shire and a Stewartry?
In medieval Scotland, territorial administration evolved around two primary offices: the sheriff and the steward. While their jurisdictions often shared similar aims – maintaining justice, raising revenue, and representing royal authority – the manner of governance and the origin of each office diverged markedly.
Most counties, or shires, were overseen by sheriffs, royal officers tasked with enforcing the king’s laws, presiding over courts, issuing warrants, and later becoming embedded in the evolving national judiciary. Their authority typically stretched across a cluster of parishes and was formalised in writs and recorded judgments. Wigtownshire is one such example, where sheriffdom extended west of the River Cree.
By contrast, Stewartries emerged where the steward, rather than the sheriff, exercised control. Stewards administered Crown lands or territories under direct royal oversight, managing not only justice but also finances, rents, and estate affairs. In 1369, Archibald the Grim, newly invested as Earl of Douglas, placed eastern Galloway under a steward based at Kirkcudbright. This act defined the region as The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, a name that has persisted long after the administrative function dissolved.
Jim Bells Blog: “The Passing of Billy Marshall”
A story as told by Jim Bell on Facebook,
This old record was found locally filed under “Widow McWhirter’s Memories”
Jim Bell’s Blog: Castle Haven: Kirkandrews
Castle Haven, near Kirkandrews is a remarkable Iron Age site—one of the best-preserved examples of a “galleried dun” in southern Scotland. Perched above a rocky coast it dates back around 2,000 years and is notable for its “D-shaped layout”, thick drystone walls, and internal galleries built into the structure.
Castle Haven was excavated and partially reconstructed in 1905 by James Brown of Knockbrex Estate. He used local drystone dykers to rebuild the fort based on the original footprint, which had walls still standing up to 5 feet high. The restoration was unusually faithful for its time and gives a rare glimpse into Iron Age architecture.Artefacts found during the dig included bronze finger rings, a blue and white glass bead, and even fragments of chain mail and a medieval brooch,
suggesting the site may have been reused or revered in later centuries. There’s even a local tradition—though unproven—that links the site to the Balliol family, adding a layer of medieval mystique
suggesting the site may have been reused or revered in later centuries. There’s even a local tradition—though unproven—that links the site to the Balliol family, adding a layer of medieval mystiqueJim Bell 27/06/2025
This article appeared on the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright Old Postcards and Local Snippets Facebook page.
Jim Bell’s Blog: Tarff Railway Station
Tarff railway station served the villages of Ringford and Twynholm from 1864 to 1965 on the Kirkcudbright Railway. It was originally opened as Tarff for Gatehouse by the Glasgow and South Western Railway on 7 March 1864. The station underwent a couple of name changes: it became Gatehouse on 1 September 1865, before reverting to Tarff on 1 August 1871.The station had a goods yard to the east and a signal box to the north, which opened in 1882. The goods yard featured a siding and a stone goods shed. The signal box was closed in 1946 and replaced by ground frames. Eventually, the station was closed to both passenger and goods traffic on 3 May 1965.
The site is now the offices and goods store for Tarff Valley agricultural supplies company.
Jim Bell 25/05/2025