WIGTOWN, a market-town, royal and parliamentary burgh of Scotland, capital of Wigtownshire, at the mouth of the Bladenoch in Wigtown Bay, 9 miles N. of Whithorn, and 129 S.W. of Edinburgh. It stands on a slight eminence, and contains many well built and handsome houses. The principal street is broad, and has in its centre a square containing a bowling-green. Near this stands a handsome granite cross. The town-hall is an old building, with a spire at one end. A new parish church has recently been built; but the old building is still standing, and in the churchyard there are interesting monuments of several martyrs of the time of Charles II. On a hill to the north-west of the town, a "martyrs' monument" was erected in 1858. The other places of worship belong to the Free Church and to the United Presbyterians. Wigtown has a grammar school, subscription library, assembly rooms, court-house, prison, and custom-house. There are no manufactures here of any importance, except a distillery in the adjacent village of Bladenoch. The harbour, which is in the mouth of the river, is difficult of entrance, and nearly dry at low water. On the 31st December 1858, the number of vessels belonging to the port was 51, tonnage 2813. In that year there entered 577 sailing vessels, tonnage 18,140; and 80 steamers, tonnage 19,349; and there cleared, 390 sailing vessels, tonnage 11,740; and 91 steamers, tonnage 33,434. The burgh is governed by 18 councillors, among whom are a provost and 2 bailies; and it unites with Stranraer, Whithorn, and New Galloway in returning a member to parliament. Pop. (1851) of the parliamentary burgh, 2120; of the royal do., 2232.