Dumfries and Galloway lieutenancy purposes, the historic counties are largely maintained with its three lieutenancy areas being Dumfries, Wigtown and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. To the north, Dumfries and Galloway borders East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire; in the east the Borders; and to the south the county of Cumbria in England and the Solway Firth. To the west lies the Irish Sea. The Dumfries and Galloway Council region is composed of counties and their sub-areas. From east to west: The term 'Dumfries and Galloway' has been used since at latest the 19th century – by 1911 the three counties had a
Beeswing, Dumfries and Galloway site in the 1930s. Close-Brooks, J. (1974-1975) "An Iron-Age Date for the Loch Lotus Canoe", "Proc Soc Antiq Scot", 106, p. 199 Gillespie, J. E. (1874-1876) "Notice of a Canoe Found in Loch Lotus, Parish of New Abbey, Kirkcudbrightshire", "Proc Soc Antiq Scot", 11, pp. 21-23 Harper, M. M. (1876) "Rambles in Galloway: Topographical, Historical, Traditional,and Biographical", Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas, p. 203 Henderson, J.C., Cavers, M. G., and Crone, B. A. (2006) "The South West Crannog Survey: Recent work on the lake dwellings of Dumfries and Galloway", "Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society", 80,