Carlingwark Lane Canal

NX76SE 94.00 From 7613 6140 to 7436 6252.

See also NX76SE 94.01, NX76SE 94.02, NX76SE 94.03 map sheet NX76SW.

This was one of two short canals constructed in the valley of the River Dee between 1765 and 1789 under the auspices of Sir Alexander Gordon of Culvennan. This canal, known as the Carlingwark Lane, was opened in 1765. It ran from Carlingwark Loch (an excellent source of shell-marl) for one and a half miles to link with the River Dee at its nearest point. The canal ceased to be operational for commercial traffic and was abandoned in about 1840.

The two canals, with the river and its lochs, furnished a through communication by water between Castle Douglas and New Galloway. Although they were only in operation for a short space of time, they served to transport marl to the farms situated along the route. Flat-bottomed boats, the largest of which could accommodate four hundred cubic feet, conveyed this cargo.

J Lindsay 1968.

This canal is clearly visible on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Kirkcudbright 1853, sheet 39). It is seen to head NW from Carlingwark Loch, the road going S from Castle Douglas crossing it on the Buchan Bridge (NX76SE 94.01) near the loch and the Glasgow and South Western Railway (Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright Branch) traversing it (NX76SE 94.02) to the W of Castle Douglas. The canal continues NW on map sheet NX76SW, with a canal feeder system (NX76SE 94.03) entering it at NX 7444 6249 close to its junction with the River Dee at a point just to the E of Threave Island.

The route of this canal is still visible and marked as Carlingwark Lane on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 maps (NX76SE 1990 and NX76SW 1982).

Information from RCAHMS (MD) 27 June 2002.