Tongland
{{about|the village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK|the area of Glasgow, Scotland|Tongland (gang area)|the village and clan joint real property in Hong Kong|Small House Policy#Tso/Tong land}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Tongland
| country = Scotland
| static_image_name = Tongland Bridge August 2013.png
| static_image_caption = Bridge over the River Dee designed by Thomas Telford, 1806.
| coordinates = {{Coord|54.8637|N|4.0307|W|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| os_grid_reference = NX698536
| unitary_scotland = Dumfries and Galloway
| lieutenancy_scotland = Kirkcudbrightshire
| post_town = KIRKCUDBRIGHT
| postcode_district = DG6
| postcode_area = DG
| constituency_westminster = Dumfries and Galloway
| constituency_scottish_parliament = Galloway and West Dumfries
}}
Tongland, also spelt Tongueland ({{IPAc-en|t|ʌ|ŋ|l|ə|n|d}}){{cite book |editor-last= Pointon |editor-first=G. E. |title=BBC pronouncing dictionary of British names |date=1990 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |page=242 |edition=2nd}} is a small village about {{convert|2|mi|0}} north of Kirkcudbright, in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies on the west bank of the Dee near its confluence with the Tarff Water.
History
File:Tongland Works - geograph.org.uk - 694601.jpg
Tongland Abbey, a medieval Premonstratensian monastic community, existed here during the Middle Ages. The remains of Tongland Abbey are now within the churchyard just south of the main road. Tongland Church built in 1813, is now disused and in a state of ruin, although the graveyard is still in use.
The Dee is crossed shortly downriver by Tongland Bridge, a stone arch bridge constructed in 1806 by civil engineer Thomas Telford.{{Cite book|title=Man of Iron - Thomas Telford and the Building of Britain|last=Glover|first=Julian|publisher=Bloomsbury|year=2017|location=London|pages=363}} Telford was assisted in the Works by resident civil engineer, A Blane. There is also an earlier bridge dating to 1761 which is approximately {{convert|500|m|yd}} to the north-east.
Since the 1930s, Tongland has been the site of a hydro-electric power station, part of the Galloway Hydro Electric Scheme. The station used to be open to visitors during the summer months, since 2007 this has no longer been the case. Slightly earlier, between 1921 and 1922 'Galloway' cars were made in Tongland in a First World War factory staffed mainly by female apprentice engineers.{{Cite journal|last=Clarsen|first=Georgine|date=2003-09-01|title='a fine university for women engineers': a Scottish munitions factory in world war I|journal=Women's History Review|volume=12|issue=3|pages=333–356|doi=10.1080/09612020300200363|s2cid=144837053|issn=0961-2025}} The Galloway Engineering Company factory was originally completed in 1917 and was powered by its own hydro-electric scheme on the Dee.{{Cite news|title=Galloway Motors Limited. Tongland Engineering Works to be closed down.|date=3 March 1922|work=Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser and Galloway News}}
Since 2004, there have been several construction projects, with the site of a former garage now home to three new houses. There are also several more houses being constructed. In 2006, street lights were installed along the A711 which passes through the village.
Notable people
- Thomas Brown Tongland minister and Free Church moderator.
- Joe Dobson, co-founder of Interflora was born in Tongland in 1875.
- Campbell Cowan Edgar, Egyptologist and Secretary-General of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, was born in Tongland in 1870{{cite web |title=Campbell Cowan Edgar, Department Of Antiquities|url=http://www.dcedin.co.uk/TNG/getperson.php?personID=I917&tree=tree1 |website=Dalrymple Crescent Families |access-date=19 April 2021}}
See also
References
{{commons category}}
{{Civil parishes in Dumfries and Galloway}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Villages in Dumfries and Galloway
Category:Parishes in Dumfries and Galloway
{{DumfriesGalloway-geo-stub}}