Kirkoswald, South Ayrshire

Kirkoswald (Scots: Kirkossald)[1] is a village and parish in the Carrick district of Ayrshire, Scotland, 1+34 miles (3 kilometres) from the coast and four miles (six kilometres) southwest of Maybole. It takes its name from its kirk (church), dedicated to Oswald of Northumbria, who is said to have won a battle here in the 7th century. The old church, which was built in 1244 and houses the baptismal font of Robert the Bruce, is now a ruin in the grounds of the modern church, which was built in 1777 to a design by Robert Adam. Kirkoswald is also noted for its connection with Robert Burns, whose maternal ancestors, the Brouns, were from the village. Burns also attended school here, and would later base the characters Tam o' Shanter, Kirkton Jean and souter Johnnie on village locals Douglas Graham, Jean Aird and John Davidson, the shoemaker.

Kirkoswald
The Main Street
Kirkoswald is located in South Ayrshire
Kirkoswald
Kirkoswald
Location within South Ayrshire
Population194 
OS grid referenceNS240075
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townMAYBOLE
Postcode districtKA19
Dialling code01655
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°19′48″N 4°46′00″W / 55.33000°N 4.76667°W / 55.33000; -4.76667

Kirkoswald village had a population of 194 in 1991. Kirkoswald parish is 23.3 square miles (60 square kilometres) in area, and also contains the coastal village of Maidens. Landmarks include Turnberry Castle, the ancient seat of the Earls of Carrick, Culzean Castle, Thomaston Castle and Crossraguel Abbey.

Rev Robert Hunter Arbuckle was minister of the Free Church from 1860 and 1897.[2]

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "The Online Scots Dictionary". Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  2. ^ Ewing, William Annals of the Free Church


edit