a seaport and royal borough, is situated on the southern shore of Lochryan, Wigtonshire, nine miles north-east of Portpatrick, and fifty south of Ayr. The town constitutes a distinct parish, and is the seat of a presbytery. It formerly belonged, in nearly equal parts, to the neighbouring parishes of Inch and Lewsalt, from which it was disunited and formed into a separate parish in 1617, at which period also it was erected into a royal borough. But the town now exceeds the limits of the royal borough, and stretches into the two parishes just mentioned. Stranraer is a thriving place, and forms the emporium for the Rhyns, or western division of Wigtonshire. In 1835 there were 37 vessels belonging to it, the aggregate tonnage of which, per register, was 1789. A steam-boat has for 15 years plied weekly between Stranraer and Glasgow, and sometimes there are two or three on the passage. A high-water stone pier was built 25 years ago. The public buildings are, an elegant parish church, recently erected, four dissenting chapels, a town-hall, and a jail, which latter was formerly one of the residences of the noble family of Stair. Sir John Ross, the celebrated navigator, has a residence within the parliamentary bounds of the borough, appropriately called North-West Castle. The population in 1831 amounted to 3329, but including the suburbs, about 3800. There are no fewer than eight schools in the borough, of which six are endowed. Stranraer has a weekly market, and several annual fairs. It unites with Whithorn, Wigton, and New Galloway, in sending a member to parliament, and in 1839 had 219 registered voters.