Caulkerbush (Southwick)

Southwick is the name of the parish and where the B793 from Dalbeattie meets the A710 is the hamlet of Caulkerbush thus the road sign states "Caulkerbush (Southwick)".

At the junction stands a fine War Memorial. This was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday 12th June 1921. There is more information on the fallen at the Scottish War Memorials project website. The church website also has information on those from the parish who served in the Great War including a Roll of Honour and photographs of many of the servicemen.

A short distance up the B793 Dalbeattie Road from Caulkerbush is the beautiful Southwick Church built in 1891. 

The RSPB Bird Reserve at Mersehead is adjacent and signposted from the A710 just to the east of Caulkerbush. Also adjacent is Southwick House and you can see pictures of its gardens from the Scotland's Garden scheme website.

A mile from Caulkerbush travelling towards Sandyhills on the A710 is a minor road leading to the old Southwick Cemetery. In the centre of the graveyard is a ruin which was the original Southwick Church. It was mentioned in Bagimond's Roll of 1274 and   Edward I visited the church in 1300 during his campaign in Galloway.  The church was abandoned in the 1740s.

At this junction there is also the entrance to the the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Southwick Coast Nature reserve. This is a stretch of coastline with wooded cliffs and extensive saltmarsh. A viewpoint in the meadow provides breath taking views over Mersehead and the Solway. A path leads through the Needle’s Eye, a natural wave-cut arch, to the saltmarsh. There is another Needle's Eye between Sandyhills and Porting.