|
Creetown is in Galloway southwest Scotland,
30 miles east of Stranraer, 41 miles west of
Dumfries, just off the A75 road.
The main attractions at Creetown today are
the Heritage Museum, and the Gem Rock Museum
with its popular Cafe / Diner.
For Images on Mobile swipe right
Large
Images
Click On Map
for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top is looking north along the
main street / St John Street towards Adamson
Square.
Creetown Heritage Museum was opened in 1997,
on St John Street giving information on the
village history and local wildlife, with images
and large screen TVs. Museum Website.
The Ellangowan Hotel is on St John Street,
next to the Square. The Hotel was built in 1898
of the local granite stone, currently
closed?
The Ellangowan Hotel was used in the filming
of the 1973 horror movie The Wicker Man
with Britt Eckland, Christopher Lee, and Edward
Woodward. Most of the film was shot in
Galloway.
Adamson Square at the Clocktower was
remodeled in 2005 using local granite, also
with a 9 feet diameter granite Sphere. The
Japanese sculpture Hideo Furuta produced the
Sphere, and carried out much of the work on the
Square. Furuta had settled in the Creetown area
in the late 1990s, he died in 2007, aged
57.
The War Memorial is 50 yards north of the
Square, with the kids play area past the
Memorial.
The Gem Rock Museum
is on the south side of the village on Chain
Road, a few hundred yards walk uphill from the
Square, or you can drive up.
This is a popular attraction giving
information of Gems found around the world, has
a Shop with a wide range of Jewelry for sale,
and a popular Cafe /Diner.
St Joseph's Church is close to the Gem Rock
Museum on Hill Street. This Church was built in
1876 of local granite. Planning permission was
given in 2013 for the Church to be converted to
a Music Centre. The Town has an annual Music
Festival.
Castle Cary Holiday
Park is 1 mile south of Creetown. The Park
offers holiday caravans, pitches for tents, and
spots for touring vans. The Park also has the
Lairds Inn with a Restaurant.
Glenquicken Farm
Trout Fishery is 3 miles south.
Creetown History
1500s - the Town evolved at the mouth of the
River Cree where it flows into Wigtown Bay.
The Town was originally known as the
Ferrytown of Cree, as it was where you could
take a Ferry across the River Cree to the
Whithorn Peninsular.
The Ferry was popular with Pilgrims
traveling to the Shrine of St Ninian at
Whithorn.
1760s - the Military Road between England
and Portpatrick and Stranraer
passed through the Town. These port towns were
used for trade with Ireland.
1785 - the Town was renamed Creetown by
local landowner, James McCullogh of Barholm
Estate. He also re-developed the Town, laying
out the main streets.
The Town grew around industries such as the
excavation of sea shells for fertilizer, cotton
mill, lead mine, and a number of granite
quarries. Much of Liverpool Docks were built
with this granite.
1861 - the Railway reaches the area with a
station 1 mile outside the Town.
1876 - St Joseph's Church is completed with
local granite.
1895 - the local football team is formed
known as The Ferrytoun.
1897 - the Clocktower is built of local
granite.
1898 - the Ellangowan Hotel is completed
with local granite.
1965 - the Railway is closed.
1971 - the Gem Rock Museum was opened.
1973 - the Horror Film The Wicker Man is
shot in the area and in Creetown.
1997 - the Creetown Heritage Museum is
opened.
2005 - Adamson Square is redeveloped with
local granite.
|
