Galloway
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2008-07-13T17:37:05Z
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/* Geography and Landform */ minor arranging, old map deleted after newer map updates on commons.
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[[Image:ScotlandGallowayCounties.png|right|200px]]
'''Galloway''' ([[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]]: ''Gall-Ghaidhealaibh'', {{pronounced|əŋ ɡauɫ̪ɣəɫ̪əv}} or ''Gallobha'', [[Lowland Scots]] ''Gallowa'') is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of [[Wigtownshire|Wigtown]] (or historically West Galloway) and [[Stewarty of Kirkcudbright|Kirkcudbright]] (or historically East Galloway). It is part of the [[Dumfries and Galloway]] [[council area]] of Scotland.
Galloway is contained by sea to the west and south, the Galloway Hills to the north, and the [[River Nith]] to the east; the border between Kirkcudbright and Wigtownshire is marked by the [[River Cree]].
The definition has, however, fluctuated greatly in size over history. The name is also given to a hardy breed of black, hornless [[beef]] [[Galloway (cattle)|cattle]] native to the region (and also to the more distinctive '[[Belted Galloway]]' or 'Beltie'). Galloway has always been slightly isolated due to having 150 miles of rugged coastline and a vast range of largely uninhabited hills to the North.
==Geography and Landform==
[[Image:Scotland.southwest.topo.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Topographic map of southwestern Scotland.]]
[[Image:Galloway.rivers.towns.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The main rivers and several towns.]]
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Galloway comprises that part of Scotland southwards from the Southern Upland [[water divide|watershed]] and westward from the River Nith. Traditionally it has been described as stretching from "the braes of Glenapp to the Nith". Three main [[river]] [[valley]]s, the [[Urr Water|Urr]], the [[Water of Ken|Ken]]/[[River Dee, Galloway|Dee]], and the Cree, all running north-south, provide much of the good arable land, although there is also some arable land on the coast. Generally however the landscape is rugged and much of the [[soil]] is shallow. The generally south slope and southern coast make for mild and wet climate, and there is a great deal of good pasture.
The northern part of Galloway is exceedingly rugged and forms the largest remaining wilderness in [[Great Britain|Britain]] south of the [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]]. This area is known as the [[Galloway Hills]].
=== Galloway landmarks on Ptolemy's map ===
The second century geographer [[Ptolemy]] produced a map of Britain in his ''[[Geographia (Ptolemy)|Geography]]'', in which he describes the landmarks and peoples of the island. The landmarks were identified long ago, and a number of them relate to Galloway:<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Ptolemy|c. 140}} Ptolemy, Bk. II, Ch. 2. Trans. ''Albion island of Britannia - First Map of Europe''</ref>
[[Image:Galloway.ptolemy.names.Ptolemy.map.png|thumb|left|300px|Landmarks according to Ptolemy.]]
[[Image:Galloway.modern.names.Ptolemy.map.png|thumb|right|300px|Galloway: modern names of landmarks on Ptolemy's map.]]
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=== Land use ===
Historically Galloway has been famous both for [[horse]]s and for cattle rearing, and [[milk]] and [[beef]] production are both still major industries. There is also substantial [[timber]] production and some [[fishery|fisheries]]. The combination of hills and high rainfall make Galloway ideal for [[hydroelectric]] power production, and the [[Galloway Hydro Electric Scheme|Galloway Hydro Power scheme]] was begun in [[1929]]. Since then, [[electricity generation]] has been a significant industry. More recently [[wind turbine]]s have been installed at a number of locations on the watershed, and a large offshore wind-power plant is planned, increasing Galloway's 'green energy' production.
==Name==
It is generally agreed that the name 'Galloway' derives from the name [[Gall-Gaidel]], and indeed the modern and medieval words for Galloway in Gaelic are Gall-Ghàidhealaibh and Gallgaidelaib respectively, "land of the Gaelic-Norse". The term is not recorded until the 11th century. Daphne Brooke, a popular author of the history of the region, tried to argue for a derivation from the term 'Caleddon', an alleged [[Brythonic languages|Brythonic]] form of the name written in Latin '[[Caledonia]]'. This etymology is almost universally rejected.
==Early Galloway==
The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] named the inhabitants of Galloway the [[Novantae and Selgovae|Novantae]]. According to tradition, before the end of Roman rule in Britain, [[St. Ninian]] established a church at [[Whithorn]] which remained an important place of [[pilgrimage]] until the [[Reformation]]. The county is rich in prehistoric monuments and relics, amongst the most notable of which are the Drumtroddan Standing Stones (and cup-and-ring carvings), the Torhousekie Stone Circle, and Cairn Holy (a Neolithic Chambered Cairn). There is also evidence of one of the earliest pit-fall traps in Europe which was discovered near Glenluce.
In the west, the city of Rerigonium (literally 'very royal place'), shown on [[Ptolemy]]'s map of the world, later referred to in the [[Welsh Triads]] as 'Penryn Rionyt' and remembered as one of the 'three thrones of Britain' was probably the caput of the post Roman kingdom of [[Rheged]]. Its exact position is uncertain except that it was 'on [[Loch Ryan]]', close to modern day [[Stranraer]]; it is possible that it is the modern settlement of [[Dunragit]] (Dun Rheged).
==Middle Ages==
Galloway probably remained a Brythonic dominated region until the late 7th century when it was taken over by the [[Angles|English]] kingdom of [[Bernicia]]. Local [[historian]] Daphne Brooke has suggested that the English took over the more fertile land and religious centres like Whithorn, leaving the native inhabitants the less fertile upland areas. English dominance seems to have been supplanted by Norse and then Norse-Gaelic (Gall-Gaidel) peoples between the 9th and the 11th century, though the processes by which this took place are unclear.
If it had not been for [[Fergus of Galloway]] who established himself in Galloway, the region would rapidly have been absorbed by Scotland. This did not happen because Fergus, his sons, grandsons and great-grandson [[Alan, Lord of Galloway]] shifted their allegiance between Scottish and [[England|English]] kings.
Alan died in [[1234]]. He had three daughters and an illegitimate son Thomas. The 'Community of Galloway' wanted Thomas as their 'king'. [[Alexander III of Scotland]] supported the daughters (or rather their husbands) and invaded Galloway. The Community of Galloway was defeated, and Galloway divided up between Alan's daughters, thus bringing Galloway's independent existence to an end.
Alan's eldest daughter, [[Devorguilla Balliol|Derbhorgail]], married [[John, 5th Baron de Balliol|John de Balliol]], and their son (also [[John Balliol|John]]) became one of the candidates for the Scottish Crown. Consequently, Scotland's [[Wars of Scottish Independence|Wars of Independence]] were disproportionately fought in Galloway.
There were a large number of new [[Scottish Gaelic language|Gaelic]] placenames being coined post [[1320]] (e.g. Balmaclellan), because Galloway retained a substantial Gaelic speaking population for several centuries more. Following the Wars of Independence, Galloway became the [[fief]] of [[Archibald the Grim]], [[Earl of Douglas]] and his heirs. Whithorn remained an important cult centre, and all the [[medieval]] Kings of Scots made pilgrimage there.
==Modern history==
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[[Galwegian Gaelic]] seems to have lasted longer than [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] in other parts of [[Scottish Lowlands|Lowland Scotland]], and [[Margaret McMurray]] (d. 1760) of [[Carrick, Scotland|Carrick]] (outside modern Galloway) appears to be the last recorded speaker.
In the years subsequent to the [[Union of the Crowns 1603]], Galloway underwent radical change, during the [[Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms|War of the Three Kingdoms]] and [[Covenanter]] rebellion.
In modern times, a major ferry port has been set up at [[Stranraer]], and another at [[Cairnryan]].
==Galloway in literature==
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Galloway has been the setting of a number of novels, including [[Walter Scott]]'s ''[[Guy Mannering]]''.
Other novels include the historical fiction trilogy by Liz Curtis Higgs, ''Thorn in My Heart'', ''Fair is the Rose'', and ''Whence Came a Prince''.
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
{{refbegin}}
*Brooke, D: ''Wild Men and Holy Places'': Canongate Press, Edinburgh, 1994: ISBN 0-86241-479-2
**Many of her monographs are available [http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~daphne/ online].
*Oram, Richard, ''The Lordship of Galloway''
* {{ Citation
|last=Ptolemy
|author-link=Ptolemy
|date=c. 140
|title=Geographia
|url=http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Periods/Roman/_Texts/Ptolemy/2/2*.html
|editor-last=Thayer
|editor-first=Bill
|publication-date=2008
|accessdate=2008-04-26
|publisher=LacusCurtius website at the University of Chicago
|}}
{{refend}}
[[Category:Geography of Scotland]]
[[Category:History of Galloway]]
[[Category:Dumfries and Galloway]]
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