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According to the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland 1885 "The Village of Southerness was built some time after the middle of the 19th century by Oswald of Auchencruive near Ayr, in the expectation of its becoming a mining village and depot for coal. The desired mineral having vainly been searched for in the neighbourhood, the village became transmuted into a sea bathing retreat. Southerness point screens the west side of the entrance to the estuary of the Nith and is crowned by a disused lighthouse".
The Nucleus of Southerness lighthouse, built in 1748, is the second oldest surviving lighthouse in the country. A 9.1 metre high beacon built by Dumfries Town Council was heightened and altered in the 1780ıs and again in 1842. Lack of finance obliged the Nith Navigation Commission to extinguish the light in the 1867. It was restored in 1894 and raised to almost twice its original height and continued in active use until about 1936. The lighthouse is still in excellent state of preservation and became the emblem of Southerness Golf Club.
The Oswald family estates, which Richard Oswald inherited, were founded by his namesake Richard Oswald, the son of the parish minister of Dunnet, Caithness, born in 1705. Having commenced his business career in Glasgow he subsequently moved to London where he became one of the most prominent merchants of his time dealing mainly in tobacco imported from Virginia to this country. He became a prominent diplomat, his career culminating in being the signatory for the British Government to the Treaty of Versailles giving independence to the United States of America.
Major Richard Oswald, Founder of Southerness Golf Club
Major Richard Oswald was the son of a cavalry officer serving in India in which country he was born. After receiving his education at Winchester he returned to India serving in Hudsons Horse with the Bengal Lancers. During the second world war he trained troops in Scotland. At the time he had recently married and lived at Drum Farm near loch Kindar (at the foot of Criffel).
In 1946 Major Oswald decided to create a golf course on the land which he considered suitable due to sandy base. Southerness Golf Course was laid out by Messrs. Sutton and Sons, Reading. The greens were sown from seed. It measured 6,250 yards but tiger tees were available which increased the length to over 7,000 yards. The course was built for the amazing sum of just £2,000.
Major Oswald was a very keen golfer himself and was often seen out on the links, always accompanied by his dog. He latterly had hip problems and became reduced to 9 holes at a time. Major Oswald was known to be a good and generous neighbour contributing greatly to the community. He had a particular interest in the disabled and in 1954 hosted the British one armed golf championship over Southerness.
Major Oswald eventually spent most of his time in London where he found it difficult to maintain adequate contact with Southerness. He sold the property to Southerness Development Company in 1961 and died in 1968.