📌 Kirtlebridge, Dumfries & Galloway
★
Merkland Cross is a beautifully-carved, 15th century cross, thankfully not quite bulldozed by the M74 motorway which passes by just a few metres away. The cross also lies on the former path of a Roman Road, but this provides few clues as to its purpose: Historic Environment Scotland suggest it may have been a market cross or memorial, possibly commemorating a member of the Maxwell family. Getting there from the nearest suitable parking spot is a little complicated – wear sturdy footwear suitable for crossing rough fields.
🌍 Location
📌 Off minor road near B7076 1 mi east of Kirtlebridge
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NY 250721
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.037878,-3.174754
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Verge parking for a single car at track junction (don’t block access), 🧭 NY 253718 / 🛰️ 55.035483,-3.169599
📝 Key info
⌚ Always viewable
🎫 Free
💬 From the parking spot it’s a 10-min walk (each way) to the cross, following an intermittently faint & occasionally muddy track west then northwest close to the M74 (⬤ Easy).
