A total support package of £66,500 received from The Heritage Lottery Fund and Leader will allow the Gatehouse Development Initiative to undertake a major project to conserve important features of the Designed Landscape of Cally for the benefit of locals and visitors alike. The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a grant of £33,000 and £33,500 has been received from Leader.
The Designed Landscape of Cally was laid out in the mid eighteenth century as the pleasure grounds of the local landowner, James Murray of Broughton. The park land was enclosed by imposing boundary walls. Internally, sunken walls, ha has and deer parks enhanced the vistas. Cally was sold to the Forestry Commission in 1933 and the woods today contain a number of popular walks. The project which will begin in the spring with the renovation of a piece of ancient field dyke alongside one of the walks, will also see work on the boundary walls on the approach to Gatehouse, a range of volunteer training and demonstration days, the clearing out of the ha ha and work on the sunken wall.
An ancient field dyke runs through the Cally Woods. Where one of the Forestry trails crosses the line of the wall a section will be rebuilt to show what it would have looked like. This first project will allow visitors to the woods to see a dyker at work and to learn more about the project.
Other important features such as the sunken wall and ha ha which are not in bad condition will benefit greatly from clearing and tidying up to reveal their importance within the designed landscape.
The main boundary walls are a prominent feature of the approach to Gatehouse from the Kirkcudbright road and also from the A 75. Work will be undertaken to restore sections of these walls in a way which will greatly enhance the setting of Gatehouse and the National Scenic Area.
