Goldielea

While we were on holiday, my friend Virginia moved out of hospital and into a care home, where I went to visit her this morning.

Goldielea is an impressive building with an interesting history. It sits back from the Dalbeattie Road and right in font of an 18 arch curved viaduct which was opened in November 1859 as part of the Dumfries - Castle Douglas - Kirkcudbright railway.

The house was built in the 18th century and belonged to the Goldie family, but for a couple of years it belonged to Walter Riddell, who renamed it Woodley House after his wife Maria Banks Woodley. Robert Burns was a friend of Maria and visited her here many times.

During WW2, Goldielea became one of the main bases for the Norwegian army and provided the quarters for many of its soldiers. After the war, it was a hotel, but has been a nursing home for many years...

here is an interesting study of  places in our area with a link to Norway.