Kirkcudbright had been an important port, but by 1692 its shipping consisted of'one small boat of eight tons for carrying their coals but she hath never as yet been employed'. In the 18th century things had improved, and the Old Statistical Account records 28 ships, 2 in foreign trade. By 1840 this had risen to 54 ships, including the regular steamer sailings to Glasgow and Liverpool. Ship-building and allied trades were carried on, chiefly at Kirkcudbright. At this time, according to a writer of the day, it was common on looking out over the Firth from any of the many high points in the area, to see upwards of a hundred ships between St Bees' Head and the Mull of Galloway. Up till then the port of Dumfries covered the whole coast from the English border to the Mull of Galloway, but in 1870 Kirkcudbright and Wigtown were raised to the status of separate ports. Mulloch Bay, Burnfoot and Balcary were Free Ports, Balcary ranking as 'safe and commodious'. Their chief exports were meal. potatoes and barley; the chief import was lime.back to top
