Cally Designed Landscape Project

The forestry and grounds of what is now known as the Cally Palace Hotel in Gatehouse of Fleet form part of a ‘designed’ landscape that is listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. It contributes significantly to the quality of the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area in which it is partially located.

The detailed appearance of this historically important landscape had not been fully optimised due to the focus on the woodland resource. There was a growing need to look at the landscape holistically and encourage the various owners to manage it appropriately to ensure its historic and cultural value was retained, and to encourage enjoyment by locals and visitors.

The Cally Designed Landscape Management Plan was commissioned by the Gatehouse Development Initiative (a community organisation) on behalf of the Designed Landscape Group. Launched in May 2007, it recorded the development of the designed landscape of Cally and set out objectives and recommendations for raising awareness of the historic environment, its protection and improvement.

The project submitted for the My Place Award has delivered high priority recommendations in the Cally Management Plan and includes:

• The restoration of 3 km of dry stone dyke (including ha-ha and unusual sunken dyke)
• The consolidation of the ruins of Lady Anne’s Charity School for Girls located at the edge of Cally Lake.
• The production of awareness raising publications and interpretation including the Cally Story booklet, panels and an article in Transactions of the DGNHAS.

The cultural landscape is in a continuing process of change where the layers of time combine to become a place with a distinct character. The dry stone dykes at Cally are an important element of the landscape and represent more than a conservation issue because they are a physical reminder of a turning point in Scottish history. Dykes provide an effective and long lived boundary in harmony with the landscape. The dykes at Cally are both common place but equally evidence of extraordinary changes which have occurred in the countryside over the last 200 years.

The Cally Landscape Group agreed that the restoration of key sections of dyke was important to maintain the historic and visual integrity of Cally. A condition survey, undertaken by trained local volunteers, revealed that much of 17 km of dyke within Cally were in a poor state of repair.

Dry stone dykes provide the ultimate example of sustainable construction by using a local material which can be used again and again.

The landscape character of Cally has been strengthened by the authentic restoration of enclosures that represent the aspirations of improving landowners and the toil of workers on the land.

Lady Anne’s School is located adjacent to a well used public footpath between Gatehouse of Fleet and the Cally Woods. Protective fencing enclosed the ruins as they were deemed dangerous to the public and there were proposals to demolish the structure to make it safe.

The Cally Project was developed to be inclusive both during implementation and after completion. It was an important aspect of the project to develop attractive and functional spaces which could be enjoyed by as many people as possible. The consolidation of Lady Anne’s School built on community aspirations to conserve features and the enthusiasm demonstrated by the volunteers.

Key to the project was the need to respect the heritage context by adopting a sensitive approach based on a clear philosophy of minimal intervention and use of conservation techniques and traditional building skills. Careful research and observation ensured that the project has delivered authentic restoration eg. Turf coping to the sunken dyke.

The overall cost of the Cally Designed Landscape Project was under £100,000 with the volunteer contribution valued at £15,000.

Gatehouse Development Initiative’s Cally Project has been an ambitious undertaking supported by Leader, Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland. It has had a very positive impact on the community. The project has helped people better understand links with their rural landscape as well as become involved in the conservation of the former parks and pleasure grounds of Cally, the seat of the Murrays of Broughton, Cally and Killibegs.

The Project encouraged local people to explore the outdoors and actively engage in enhancing their surroundings. It has provided an opportunity for the community to have a direct involvement in shaping the future management of the local environment, and further develop a sense of community ownership of the Cally Woods.

Community participation continued throughout the project with the enthusiastic involvement of volunteers so that the project made a real contribution to the quality of life of participants and the wider community. The restoration work has realised the ambitions of volunteers and has made a lasting and accessible improvement to the landscape setting of Cally and Gatehouse of Fleet.

The Project presented opportunities to undertake the conservation of dry stone dykes, provided training and encouraged volunteers to become involved in different aspects of the work:

 132 people have been directly involved in the physical work to conserve the dykes and Lady Anne’s School.

 49 people have been directly involved in learning dry stone dyking and conservation techniques.

 Cally Boundaries project has featured in walks, talks and exhibitions (including distribution of the Cally Story booklet to all local schoolchildren and guided walks for hotel residents)

 Research into history of the Lady Anne’s Charity School for Girls and individuals who had been involved in building the original dykes at Cally.

Volunteers from a number of different groups were involved in the activities. The groups included people from a variety of different ages, abilities and backgrounds. These included pupils from Kirkcudbright Academy and Gatehouse of Fleet Primary School, the National Scenic Area Volunteers, a group of volunteers from France and a group of Solicitors from Glasgow. The project included the involvement of three groups suffering from social exclusion: the Walking Free group from Borgue, who were undergoing drug rehabilitation programme; job seekers from the Galloway Forest Volunteer Project; and the Community Service Volunteers.

Forestry Commission Scotland is delighted that this grass roots project has successfully restored key features in Cally Woods which can be enjoyed by local residents and visitors to Galloway Forest Park. We are particularly pleased to have been able to work in partnership with our neighbours including the Cally Palace Hotel and farmers to safeguard heritage features.

When considering the renovation of features priority was given to those which were visually significant, or have particular historic value, or offered potential for engaging community enthusiasm and which also serve the most useful function.

The following dykes were identified as priority for action because of the visual contribution they make to the landscape:
• The policy dykes delineating the eastern boundary of Cally grounds are visually important to the large numbers of visitors approaching Gatehouse of Fleet from the east along the B727. Now these dykes have been cleared and repaired to make a valuable contribution to the landscape setting and image of the town.
 The deer / policy dykes on the eastern boundary of Cally on either side of the A75 which were in a very poor state of repair. These restored dykes are highly visible to vehicle users of the busy trunk road.

The historic value of the following features means they were a priority for action:
 The ha-ha to the south of Cally house is a special feature which helps interpret the designed landscape.
 The sunken dyke to the south of the A75 is an unusual historic feature which helps interpret the designed landscape and draw attention to the remaining parkland views.
 Lady Anne’s School was a building at risk which plays a part in the narrative of the designed landscape.

Some dykes were important because they could be used to engage the community to raise awareness and harness the enthusiasm for caring for the environment:
 The field dyke adjacent to a popular woodland footpath is a reminder that the woods were once cattle parks. The re-building of a sample length of field dyke has been used to interpret Galloway’s important role in the enclosure of land in the early 1700s and planting of forestry in the 1930s.
 The deer dyke adjacent to the well used pedestrian and cycle track between Cally and Sandgreen also offered potential for restoration by conservation volunteers. It was particularly valuable for the training undertaken during a 2 week volunteer camp for participants from France.