[Gazetteer of Scotland Contents]
PORT-WILLIAM, a thriving village and sea-port in the parish of Mochrum, on the east coast of Luce bay, Wigtonshire. It stands on the coast-road between Stranraer and Whithorn, 24 miles south-east of Stranraer, 7 miles west-north-west of Whithorn, and 11 miles south-west of Wigton. The village was erected about the year 1770, by Sir William Maxwell of Monreith, in honour of whom it is named. It consists chiefly of a terrace-line of cottages, well built, slated, and fronting the sea, and has a neat and tidy appearance. In 1788, a small barrack-house was erected for the accommodation of military, and of custom-house officers occasionally sent for the suppression of smuggling. The harbour, though small, is safe, and sufficiently commodious; on all sides but the south, it is well-sheltered by the land; on the south, it is defended by an artificial rampart or strong wall; and it easily admits vessels of 200 tons burden. The vessels belonging to it are 12 in number, and aggregately about 750 in tonnage. Large quantities of agricultural produce are shipped for Liverpool and Lancaster. Population of the village, in 1792, 210; in 1836, between 400 and 500.
