Stranraer

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Stranraer
Scottish Gaelic An t-Sròn Reamhar
Coordinates 54 ° 54 ′  N , 5 ° 2 ′  W Coordinates: 54 ° 54 ′  N , 5 ° 2 ′  W
Stranraer (Scotland)
Stranraer
Stranraer
Residents 10,593 2011 census
administration
Post town STRANRAER
ZIP code section DG9
prefix 01776
Part of the country Scotland
Council area Dumfries and Galloway
British Parliament Dumfries and Galloway
Scottish Parliament Galloway and West Dumfries

Stranraer ( Gaelic An t-Sron Reamhar ) is a city in the west of the south of Scotland lying Council Area Dumfries and Galloway . Before that it was part of the traditional county of Wigtownshire . In 2011 the city had 10,593 inhabitants.

Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan Bay to the north of the isthmus that connects the Rhins of Galloway peninsula with mainland Scotland. The name of the city comes from the Scottish Gaelic An t-Sròn Reamhar , which means something like fat nose . In relation to the location of the place, it should mean wide isthmus .

history

Stranraer, view from Galgenberg

In the middle of the city is the watchtower Castle of St. John , which was built around 1500. It has since been used as a residence, courthouse, prison and military post. In 1617 Stranraer became Royal Burgh .

Loch Ryan is known as an old, safe haven with large fish stocks.

The old town hall, built in 1776, now houses the Stranraer Museum . It is about the county of Wigtownshire and the two arctic explorers from the area, John and James Clark Ross .

Stranraer and the surrounding area testify to its role as an important flying boat base during World War II . From here the North Channel and the southwest coast of Scotland were monitored. Winston Churchill took off in a Boeing flying boat on June 25, 1942 from Stranraer on his second visit to the USA during World War II. The Supermarine Stranraer flying boat was named after the city and was in service with the Royal Air Force from 1937 to 1942 . After the war, 14 Stranraers went to Queen Charlotte Airlines in British Columbia , Canada as civil aircraft .

Ferry service

The ferry route between Stranraer and Belfast is a major link to Northern Ireland . In 2003 Stena Line announced the construction of a new port near Cairnryan . In Loch Ryan too high speeds would cause strong waves. Ships have to travel more slowly over ten kilometers, which slows down ferry traffic. Outside the bay, north of the town of Cairnryan, the boats can extend their speed and thus reach their destination much faster. Stranraer also has a ferry connection with Larne.

Sports

The most important sports club in Stranraer is FC Stranraer .

gallery

Web links

Commons : Stranraer  - collection of images, videos and audio files

swell

  1. ^ Information from the Scottish Parliament
  2. 2011 census
  3. Statistical Accounts of Scotland, 1791, pp. 357f - Parish of Stranraer . 1791. Retrieved November 5, 2017.