Crossmichael is a small village on the east side of Loch Ken in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire, about 4 mi north of Castle Douglas in Scotland. Crossmichael is also the name of the civil parish in Kirkcudbrightshire, in the district council region of Dumfries and Galloway.

History

Crossmichael was first recorded in 1164 when Galloway was an independent land. Townhead of Greenlaw is 1 mi to its south. The site of Greenlaw, Crossmichael, National Grid Reference (NGR): NX 74800 64500, is said to be a Roman burial ground, and occupies rising ground. A Roman fort once existed to the south near Glenlochar barrage at Abbey Yard. Sixteen other forts, mottes, stone circles and cairns all lie within 3 mi of Crossmichael.

Facilities

Crossmichael has a pub, shop, a marina, and a church with a distinctive steeple.

Transport

The A713 road runs through Crossmichael. It is on the 520 bus route.

The Church

The village name comes from the Cross of St. Michael patron saint of the original church. The Parish of Crossmichael is recorded as far back as the 12th century. A building was believed to be present prior to AD1547 as the earliest tombstone in the churchyard bears that date. The present church building dates from 1751, but includes the distinctive round tower of earlier date. Some evidence suggests that the round tower was built around 1611 by Sir Robert Gordon of Greenlaw, Crossmichael Parish. The date on the bell (1611) in the round tower tends to confirm this. The main block of the present building was built in 1749–1751, and additions and alterations were made several times in the nineteenth century, including work in 1880–1881 by the architect John Starforth. The church interior contains the Lairds' Lofts of the local families from Danevale Park, Culgruff and Mollance House. The Churchyard has Covenanters graves dating from the ‘ Killing Times ‘ of the 1680, a fine enriched Gordon monument (1757), a table stone with an acrostic epitaph to Rev Andrew Dick, and three war graves.

Estates

Notable people