Home Report Kirkcudbright

Kirkcudbright is a former royal burgh and busy fishing port in Dumfries and Galloway of roughly 3,350 residents. It lies in a sheltered position on the mouth of the River Dee and is southwest of the towns of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, and southeast of Newton Stewart.

Kirkcudbright is a town with a lot of historic character, as can be seen by the amount and variety of old medieval, Georgian and Victorian stone buildings and dwellings, and narrow closes, which can be found throughout the town. The vast majority are well looked-after, and this gives the town quite an attractive look and feel. The town was once a bustling royal burgh and harbour/fishing port, though today it is better known as “The Artists’ Town” because of the number of visual artists and famous art pieces to be found in the town. It is known as this because of the significant number of 19th century Scottish artists that visited and stayed in the town. Thus, it is an association that stuck. So much so in fact the town’s roadside signs and logo include a representation of paint on a painter’s pallet. Painters, textile artists, embroiderers, ceramicists, photographers, etchers, print makers, sculptors, encaustic artists, willow makers and more all work in or around the town.

Many of the town’s residents work in these fields, but some also commute to the nearby towns of Dumfries, Dalbeattie, Castle Douglas and Newton Stewart. The main means of transport for residents commuting is by road, either car or bus. The A755 bisects the town east to west and the A711 does the same north to south. Both roads allow for onward connections to the main A75 trunk road. The town has no railway station of its own but there are regular bus services serving the nearby towns, with nearby Dumfries offering further means of transport to wider Scotland or the north of England. Kirkcudbright is a popular destination from Ireland by ferry, as it is just about 50 miles from the ferry terminals at Cairnryan.

In terms of amenities and things to do, Kirkcudbright has a bustling and vibrant town centre for a town of its size. you can find the usual array of independent and chain stores around, as well as some lovely cafes and eateries, but there are also many artists’ studios around too – evidence of the “Artists’ Town”. There is an artists’ collective which has a shop in the town centre, The PA, Professional Artists Collective. Wasps (Workshop & Artists Studio Provision Scotland) occupy two linked townhouses, Canonwalls and Claverhouse, in the High Street. It is also a centre in which many artists open their studios during Spring Fling Open Studios allowing visitors access and a look behind the scenes to which they would normally not get.

There is also the Kirkcudbright Arts & Crafts Trail, a festival that takes place every summer. It hosts many other events including the Floodlit Tattoo, the Jazz Festival and of course, the magical Kirkcudbright Festival of Light.

The area around Kirkcudbright also holds many opportunities for outdoor pursuits. The country roads are popular with cyclists and motorcyclists and there are plenty of walking and fishing spots practically a stone’s throw from the town centre. There are many local B&Bs, hotels, caravan and camping sites in and around the town catering for such visitors. As you can see, Kirkcudbright really is a vibrant town with something for everyone for residents and visitors alike.

As for local schooling then, Kirkcudbright is served by Kirkcudbright Primary School and Kirkcudbright Academy.