Wigtown Area

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Wigtown
District (1975–1996)
Lieutenancy area (1975–)
Scot1975Wigtown.png
History
  Created16 May 1975
  Abolished31 March 1996
  Succeeded by Dumfries and Galloway
   HQ Stranraer
Contained within
  Region Dumfries and Galloway

Wigtown is a lieutenancy area in south-west Scotland and a committee area of Dumfries and Galloway Council. From 1975 until 1996 it was also a local government district. It closely resembles the historic county of Wigtownshire, covering the whole area of that county but also including the two parishes of Kirkmabreck and Minnigaff from the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire.

Contents

History

Wigtown district was created on 16 May 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which established a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Wigtown district was one of four districts created within the region of Dumfries and Galloway. The district covered all of the former administrative county of Wigtownshire plus the parishes of Kirkmabreck and Minnigaff from Kirkcudbrightshire. [lower-alpha 1] [1] The 1973 Act named the new district as "Merrick" after the mountain which formed the new district's highest point, but the name was changed to Wigtown prior to the new system coming into force in 1975. [2]

For lieutenancy purposes, the last lord-lieutenant of the county of Wigtownshire was made lord-lieutenant for the new Wigtown district when it came into effect in 1975. [2]

Further local government reform in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 saw the four districts of Dumfries and Galloway abolished, with Dumfries and Galloway Council taking over their functions. The council continues to use the former Wigtown district as an area committee, alongside committees for the other three abolished districts of Annandale and Eskdale, Nithsdale, and Stewartry. [3] The area of the former district also continues to be used for lieutenancy purposes as the Wigtown lieutenancy area. [4]

Political control

The first election to the district council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 16 May 1975. Throughout the council's existence a majority of the seats were held by independents: [5]

Party in controlYears
Independent 1975–1996

Premises

Wigtown District Council was based at Ashwood House on Sun Street in Stranraer, which had been the main offices of the former Wigtownshire County Council prior to 1975. [6] [7] After the council's abolition in 1996 the building became an area office of Dumfries and Galloway Council. [8] [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumfries and Galloway</span> Council area of Scotland

Dumfries and Galloway is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the north-east; the English ceremonial county of Cumbria, the Solway Firth, and the Irish Sea to the south, and the North Channel to the west. The administrative centre and largest settlement is the town of Dumfries. The second largest town is Stranraer, located 76 miles (122 km) to the west of Dumfries on the North Channel coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkcudbrightshire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Kirkcudbrightshire, or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright is one of the historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Kirkcudbrightshire was an administrative county used for local government. Since 1975, the area has formed part of Dumfries and Galloway for local government purposes. Kirkcudbrightshire continues to be used as a registration county for land registration. A lower-tier district called Stewartry covered the majority of the historic county from 1975 to 1996. The area of Stewartry district is still used as a lieutenancy area. Dumfries and Galloway Council also has a Stewartry area committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigtownshire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is one of the historic counties of Scotland, covering an area in the south-west of the country. Until 1975, Wigtownshire was an administrative county used for local government. Since 1975 the area has formed part of Dumfries and Galloway for local government purposes. Wigtownshire continues to be used as a territory for land registration, being a registration county. The historic county is all within the slightly larger Wigtown Area, which is one of the lieutenancy areas of Scotland and was used in local government as the Wigtown District from 1975 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annandale and Eskdale</span> Committee area in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Annandale and Eskdale is a committee area in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It covers the areas of Annandale and Eskdale, the straths of the River Annan and the River Esk respectively. From 1975 until 1996 it was a local government district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nithsdale</span> Scottish local government district (1975–1996), part of Dumfries and Galloway region

Nithsdale, also known as Strathnith, Stranith or Stranit, is the strath or dale of the River Nith in southern Scotland. Nithsdale was one of the medieval provinces of Scotland. The provinces gradually lost their administrative importance to the shires created from the twelfth century, with Nithsdale forming part of Dumfriesshire. A Nithsdale district covering a similar area to the medieval province was created in 1975, based in the area's main town of Dumfries. The district was abolished in 1996, since when the area has been directly administered by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewartry</span> Scottish lieutenancy area and former local government district

Stewartry was a local government district from 1975 until 1996 within the Dumfries and Galloway region in south-west Scotland. Under the name Stewartry of Kirkcudbright the area of the former district is still used as a lieutenancy area. Dumfries and Galloway Council has a Stewartry area committee which approximately covers the same area, subject to some adjustments where ward boundaries no longer follow the pre-1996 district boundary. Stewartry covers the majority of the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire, and derives its name from the county's alternative name of the "Stewartry of Kirkcudbright".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle and Carrick</span>

Kyle and Carrick was one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gatehouse of Fleet</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Gatehouse of Fleet is a town half in the civil parish of Girthon and half in the parish of Anwoth, divided by the river Fleet, Kirkcudbrightshire, within the district council region of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, which has existed since the mid-18th century, although the area has been inhabited since much earlier.

This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wigtown, part of the Dumfries and Galloway council area of south-west Scotland. Prior to 1975 the lieutenancy area corresponded to the historic county of Wigtownshire. Since 1975 the lieutenancy area has been the slightly larger Wigtown Area, covering the historic county plus the two parishes of Kirkmabreck and Minnigaff from Kirkcudbrightshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Abbey</span> Human settlement in Scotland

New Abbey is a village in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is 6 miles (10 km) south of Dumfries. The summit of the prominent hill Criffel is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terregles</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Terregles is a village and civil parish near Dumfries, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies in the former county of Kirkcudbrightshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkbean</span> Scottish seaside village

Kirkbean is a Scottish village and civil parish on the Solway Firth, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire and council area of Dumfries and Galloway. In the 2001 census, the four small villages making up the parish of Kirkbean had a total population of 643. It includes the hamlet of Loaningfoot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnigaff</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Minnigaff is a village and civil parish in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Lead was discovered there in 1763 and mined about two miles from the village until 1839.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Cree</span>

The River Cree is a river in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland which runs through Newton Stewart and into the Solway Firth. It forms part of the boundary between the counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. The tributaries of the Cree are the Minnoch, Trool, Penkiln and Palnure which drain from the Range of the Awful Hand, the labyrinthine range of mountains and lochs, bogs, burns and crags, rising at its highest to The Merrick, Galloway, 12 miles north and visible from Newton Stewart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troqueer</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Troqueer is a former village and a parish in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway on the west side of the River Nith. The eastern-side was merged with Dumfries to the east in 1929, and today eastern Troqueer is a suburb of Dumfries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigtown Harbour</span>

Wigtown Harbour or Wigtown Quay was relocated in 1818 to serve the town of Wigtown and its hinterland in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, following the silting up of the original natural harbour that was originally located near to St Machute's church. This relocation occurred following centuries of silting and then the alteration of the course of the River Bladnoch that runs into Wigtown Bay where it joins the River Cree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkmabreck</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Kirkmabreck is a civil parish in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire in the Dumfries and Galloway council area, Scotland.

Palnure railway station (NX450634) was a railway station on the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway close to Newton Stewart and the junction for the branch to Whithorn via Wigtown. It served the small village of Palnure in a rural area of the old county of Kirkcudbrightshire, Parish of Minnigaff, Dumfries And Galloway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wigtown County Buildings</span> Municipal building in Wigtown, Scotland

Wigtown County Buildings, also known as Wigtown County Buildings and Town Hall, is a municipal building in The Square, Wigtown, Scotland. The structure primarily served as the meeting place and town hall for Wigtown Burgh Council, but was also used for some meetings of Wigtownshire County Council. It is a Category B listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County Buildings, Kirkcudbright</span> County building in Kirkcudbright, Scotland

County Buildings is a municipal building in Kirkcudbright, in the Dumfries and Galloway council area in Scotland. It was originally two houses on High Street, which then served as the main offices of Kirkcudbrightshire County Council from 1925 to 1975. A large extension to the rear was added in 1952, accessed from Daar Road. From 1975 until 1996 the building served as the offices of Stewartry District Council. Since 1996, it has been an area office of Dumfries and Galloway Council. It is a Category B listed building. Prior to the 1952 extension the name "County Buildings" was used for a different building, at 85 High Street, which was also the town's sheriff court.

References

  1. The 1973 Act defined the part of Kirkcudbrightshire to be included in the new district as the Western District except the Anwoth and Girthon electoral division. The Western District had only contained four parishes, being Anwoth, Girthon, Kirkmabreck, and Minnigaff, with the Anwoth and Girthon division corresponding to the combined area of those two parishes.
  1. "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 22 November 2022
  2. 1 2 "The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1975/428, retrieved 27 November 2022
  3. "Area Committee Community Meetings". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  4. "The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1996/731, retrieved 25 November 2022
  5. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  6. "No. 17824". The Edinburgh Gazette . 24 May 1960. p. 318.
  7. "No. 19753". The Edinburgh Gazette . 10 October 1975. p. 1318.
  8. "No. 24539". The Edinburgh Gazette . 22 January 1999. p. 112.
  9. "Social work offices". Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

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