Alloway Auld Kirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alloway Auld Kirk |
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| Type | Church |
| Location | Alloway |
| OS grid reference | NS33191805 |
| Built | 16th century |
| Official name: Alloway Kirk | |
| Type | Ecclesiastical: church |
| Designated | 5 July 1927 |
| Reference no. | SM308 |
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Listed Building – Category B
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| Official name: Alloway Kirk Graveyard including Hughes Mausoleum, Gatepiers, Gates and Boundary Wall and excluding Scheduled Monument No 308, 'Alloway Kirk', Alloway | |
| Designated | 5 February 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB21471 |
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The Alloway Auld Kirk is an old church ruin in Alloway, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was built a long time ago, in the 1500s. This special place is famous because it's where a spooky dance of witches happens in the poem "Tam o' Shanter." This famous poem was written by Robert Burns, a very well-known Scottish poet.
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Alloway Auld Kirk and Robert Burns
The graveyard at Alloway Auld Kirk is an important place for the family of Robert Burns. His father, William Burnes, is buried here. Robert's sister, Isabella, and two of his nieces are also buried in the graveyard.
William Burnes and his wife first raised their family in Alloway. Even though the church was already a ruin, William tried to keep the grounds tidy. The original gravestone for Robert Burns's parents has worn away over time. The stone you see today has different words. It remembers both of Burns's parents and includes a special poem Robert wrote for his father.
Souvenirs from the Kirk
Robert Burns once gave his friend John Richmond a special gift. It was a silver snuffbox made from wood taken from the church's old roof beams.
Later, a man named David Auld took the rest of the roof beams. He used the wood to make chairs and other souvenirs. He sold these items and made a lot of money.
Protecting the Alloway Auld Kirk
The Alloway Auld Kirk and its graveyard have been carefully restored. In April 2008, the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, officially reopened them to the public.
The church building itself is a scheduled monument. This means it's a very important historical site protected by law. The churchyard is a Category B listed building, which also means it's a significant historical place that needs to be preserved.
See also
- List of Church of Scotland parishes
- Scheduled monuments in South Ayrshire
