THE council area of Dumfries and Galloway extends from the Scottish Borders in the east to the North Channel of the Irish Sea on the west. It is bounded on its southern edge by the
Solway Firth, with a series of river valleys extending into the Southern Uplands and large inlets, such as Auchencairn Bay, Kirkcudbright Bay, Wigtown Bay and Luce Bay. These split up the land-mass, making east-west land transport awkward, and sea and river navigation correspondingly significant. In prehistoric and early historic times there was a cultural and economic unity among the countries which border the Irish Sea which it is easy to forget if one just looks at a map of Scotland
Colvend Parish Church is in a ‘kirkton’, a focal point in the parish of Colvend and Southwick. To the east is a shallow bay (Mersehead Sands) with the village of Caulkerbush inland towards its east end, and to the west the estuary of the river Urr (Rough Firth). On the Colvend side of the Urr estuary are the villages of Kippford and Rockcliffe. Historically Kippford was a granitequarrying, shipbuilding and ship-owning centre, and the area is now popular with holidaymakers, especially with yachtsmen. To the east are the villages of Portling and Sandyhills, and further east is Caulkerbush.