Port William () is a fishing village in the parish of Mochrum in the historical county of Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, in Scotland with a population of approximately 460. Port William has a post office and small general store, a takeaway, a restaurant, a community charity shop and a couple of other stores. Beyond Port William, the nearest shopping is in Whithorn, whilst the nearest supermarkets are in Newton Stewart. Monreith House, a category A listed Georgian mansion is located east of the village. Location The village is on the coast of Luce Bay in Galloway and is situated between the small villages of Elrig and Mochrum to the north and Monreith to the south. It looks towards the Mull of Galloway (the most southerly point of the Scottish mainland), on a clear day both Ireland and The Isle of Man (lying only to the south across the Irish Sea) are clearly visible. Port William lies west of Dumfries, east of Stranraer and south of Glasgow. History The original settlement was known as Killantrae, meaning 'The Church on the Beach' in Gaelic, and was probably founded not long after St Ninian's arrival in nearby Whithorn towards the end of the 4th century. Killantrae was swept away following the intervention of developer and landlord Sir William Maxwell, 5th Baronet, of Monreith House. In the five years until 1776 he built an entirely new village, complete with a good harbour and renamed it Port William. One of the earliest buildings still standing was the corn mill, located on the side of the Killantrae burn to take advantage of the power provided by its water. Port William is an example of a planned village, lying on the eastern shore of Luce Bay. The harbour, built for the convenience of his tenant farmers, was one of the first in western Galloway. In the 17th and 18th centuries Port William was known as much for the illicit activities of its smugglers as for the legitimate trade of its port. Notable people Gavin Maxwell FRSL, FIAL, FZS (Sc.), FRGS was a Scottish naturalist and author, best known for his non-fiction writing and his work with otters. Maxwell was born at The House of Elrig near the small village of Elrig, near Port William. Maxwell's relatives still live in the area and the family's ancient estate and grounds are in nearby Monreith. Port William Inshore Rescue Service