Stranraer - History

History

On 12 November 1595 the "Clashant of Stranrawer" was named part of Ninian Adair's lands of Barony and in 1596 was erected into a burgh of barony.

Barony of Kinhilt It is recorded in Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, Vol 6, pp 123-124 Translation (E&OA) of second-half of Charter no. 366. At Linlithgow, 12 Nov 1595, The King confirms and for faithful service again dedicates to Ninian Adair of Kinhilt, and the legitimate male heirs of his body, which failing his nearest legitimate male heirs whosoever bear the name and insignia of Adair... ..... In addition, the King creates the village at Clauchane de Stranraer as a free burgh of the barony with a free port, called the Burgh and Port of Stranraer; and the said Ninian etc shall have the authority (potesta = Scots word for power, control or proprietor of heritage with authority over disposal of his estate) to appoint a ballif, treasurer, guild dean, magistrate, burgesses, officials etc; and the burgesses shall have the authority and leave to pack and unpack to buy and sell etc; and (in order to develop the said port with a minimum of hinderance); and the said Ninian etc shall have authority to hold the position of governor of the said burgh, (to build a market ?) and hold weekly markets on Saturday, with free (untaxed) market days twice a year, viz Saint Barnaby's day the 11th of Jun, and at Peter's Imprisonment called Lammas on the 1st of Aug, with the privileges of marketing for anyone of 3 day market, and of customs etc, and (in order to develop the port with a minimum of hinderance); and the said Ninian etc sahll have authority over all the port customs of the said burgh raised by sea or land among the land tenents of the said burgh and support of the said port; and the said Ninian etc shall have authority to receive resignations of lands of the said burgh etc (i.e. recover his lands from towns people who chose to sell them or give them up); from those persons whatsoever who chose to dispose of them, the townspeople may meet three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. More over the King incorporates all the above written in the free barony of Kinhilt, authorizing forts and manor houses : -- Reddend. Promise obedience and service and joining the burgh and port of Stranraer under blanche ferme.

It became a royal burgh in 1617. By 1600, it had become the market town for western Wigtownshire. At about this time Stranraer was reached by a military road built from Dumfries to allow easier access to Portpatrick for transportation of people to Ireland for the "Plantation of Ulster".

The first harbour in Stranraer was built in the mid-18th century, with further port development in the 1820s.

The arrival of the railway from Dumfries in 1861 finally established Stranraer as the area's main port. In 1862, the line was extended to serve the harbour directly, and a link to Portpatrick was also opened. Some time later, a rail connection north to Girvan was established.

Stranraer remained the main Scottish port for the Irish ferries for the next 150 years or so. On 31 January 1953, 133 people died when the Princess Victoria sank near Belfast Lough after its car deck was swamped by heavy seas.

Stranraer and its surrounding area saw a significant amount of activity during the Second World War, as it became a focus for anti U-boat work. Flying boats operated from the area in an attempt to secure the waters of the North Channel and the south western coast of Scotland. Almost all Britain's shipping imports passed through those two sea areas en-route to the Clyde or the Mersey. Indeed, the flying boat Supermarine Stranraer is named after the town. Winston Churchill himself departed from Stranraer in a Boeing Flying Boat on the night of the 25 June 1942, when making his second visit of the war to the USA. Churchill also spent time at nearby Knockinaam Lodge during the war years.