New Luce Explained

Official Name:New Luce
Static Image Name:Main street in New Luce - geograph.org.uk - 163855.jpg
Map Type:Scotland
Coordinates:54.944°N -4.852°W
Os Grid Reference:NX174647
Unitary Scotland:Dumfries and Galloway
Lieutenancy Scotland:Wigtownshire
Country:Scotland
Post Town:NEWTON STEWART
Postcode Area:DG
Postcode District:DG8
Dial Code:01581
Constituency Westminster:Dumfries and Galloway

New Luce (gd|Baile Ùr Ghlinn Lus) is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. It lies in the traditional county of Wigtownshire, and is about in length and in breath, being the upper part of the original Glenluce Parish.[1] New Luce is shown as a civil parish on John Ainslie's county map of 1782.[2]

New Luce is also the principal village within the parish. The coast to coast walk, the Southern Upland Way, passes close to the village.[3] The Covenanter Alexander Peden spent time preaching in the village.

Places of interest

A viaduct carried the Stranraer-Glasgow railway over the Main Water of Luce. Down the river from the viaduct is a pool called Bloody Wheel where the Hays of Castle of Park, near Glenluce (Old Luce), and the Linns of Larg in the adjoining parish of Inch, were said to have had a violent encounter centuries ago.[4] [5]

Archaeology

The Caves of Kilhern, between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, are in south New Luce.

Cairn na Gath ("cairn of the wild cat"), near Balmurrie, is a chambered long cairn dating to the neolithic (later stone-age). At the south end there are remains of huts or enclosures.[6] In addition, there are ancient hut circles at Lagafater, around 8 miles to the north of New Luce.[7]

Cairn Macneilie, north-west of Cruise, New Luce, is a Bronze Age round cairn, in diameter and 3feet high.[8] [9] There is another Cairn Macneilie at Inch Parks, by Lochinch Castle in Inch Parish. They may have been named after a person who conducted archaeological excavations.

Forts

Rev. George Wilson, in his Archaeological and Historical Collections relating to Ayrshire and Galloway, lists forts in New Luce:[10]

  1. Cruise Back Fell, fort marked on the map as two cairns, 80 ft long, on the Fell of Cruise or High Galdenoch.[11]
  2. Gleniron Several fort with a cluster of green rings, and a large ditch and mote.[12] [13]
  3. Mid Gleniron[14]
  4. Mid Gleniron tomb, where the long cairn had enclosed an earlier smaller one.[15]
  5. Garvilland Iron-age hill fort on the Bennan, double at the one end and with hut circles.[16]
  6. Klashherne, two rings, and three more, not on O.S. map.[17]
  7. Balmurrie, ring with two hut circles.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Community Councils. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090502121810/http://www.dgcommunity.net/communitycouncil/default.aspx?id=56. 2009-05-02.
  2. Web site: View: A map of the county of Wigton. - Counties of Scotland, 1580-1928 - National Library of Scotland . Maps.nls.uk . 2012-09-09.
  3. Web site: Hello Folks, - New Luce A History.
  4. National Archives of Scotland GD72/142(i). 13 May 1662. Bond by Sir Thomas HAY, younger of (Castle of) Park, and William LIN of Large, as cautioners to William GORDON of Craiglaw
  5. National Archives of Scotland. GD135/798, 800, 804, 955. c.1687
  6. Web site: explorebritain.info - .
  7. Web site: Lagafater Lodge. Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. 9 September 2016.
  8. Web site: Cairn McNeilie . Megalithic Portal.
  9. Web site: Cruise, Cairn Macneilie | Canmore.
  10. Archaeological and Historical Collections relating to Ayrshire and Galloway. vol.V. pp.63-64 https://archive.org/stream/cu31924092901606#page/n115/mode/2up
  11. Web site: Cruise Back Fell | ScotlandsPlaces.
  12. Web site: Mid Gleniron | ScotlandsPlaces.
  13. Web site: Mid Gleniron I and II (Chambered Tomb) The Modern Antiquarian Mid Gleniron I and II (Chambered Tomb). dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050123084748/http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5620. 2005-01-23.
  14. Web site: Mid Gleniron | ScotlandsPlaces.
  15. Discovery and Excavation 1963, 51ff ; Corcoran. 1964 http://www.dgnhas.org.uk/
  16. Web site: Mid Gleniron | ScotlandsPlaces.
  17. Web site: Bught Fell | Canmore.

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