Overview of Stranraer

A port and holiday resort in SW Scotland, Stranraer lies at the head of Loch Ryan on the eastern side of the Rhins of Galloway peninsula. It developed as a market town and was the principal trading centre in western Galloway. It was made a burgh of barony in 1595 and a royal burgh in 1617. In 1831 Stranraer was served by regular steamers, eventually becoming a major ferry port with links to Larne and Belfast in Northern Ireland. Notable buildings include the Castle of St John, associated with Graham of Claverhouse in 1632; the North West Castle, now a hotel but previously a residence of the Arctic explorer Sir John Ross (1777 - 1856); and the Stranraer Museum which was erected in 1776 as the town hall.