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Summary

Description

1696, with later alterations in 1723, 1775, and 1825 (see Notes). Now roughly Greek cross-plan church with unusual off-centre bell tower to W and pair of advanced 2- and 3-bay gabled aisles to S. Sandstone rubble with some raised, ashlar margins. Later, single-storey porch and vestry extensions.

W ELEVATION: gable with advanced, off-centre corniced bell-tower with square-plan belfry supported by corner columns with bell and surmounted by dome, conical pinnacle and finial. Triangular window to ground. Above; plaque with carved Y representing local legend (see Notes); date of 1696 and clock.

Predominantly margined metal fixed windows. Some stained glass. Skews. Wallhead stack.

INTERIOR: (seen 2008). Good cohesive, largely 19th century interior with timber pews. High quality decoratively carved pulpit, font, communion table and organ case. 4-panel timber doors. Staircases with metal balusters and timber banisters. Timber gallery to E and W, supported by iron columns. Number of 19th and 20th century stained glass windows. Pair of windows on either side of the pulpit represent Dorcas and St Paul.

CHURCHYARD: predominantly 18th and 19th century gravestones. Some decorative carvings to headstones; one iron recumbent gravestone; ashlar lair to N (in disrepair).

BOUNDARY WALLS: coped rubble walls to N, S, E and W.

Statement of Special Interest

Place of worship in use as such. This was the only church in Stewarton until the 19th century and it is an important part of the history of the town. Later alterations and additions have changed the plan-from considerably and resulted in the bell tower assuming its off-centre form. The core of the church dates to the late 17th century, and includes the crowstepped aisle to the South and the distinctive bell tower. The kirkyard is the original burial place for the town and continued to be the only one until the beginning of the 20th century. It contains some 18th century headstones and also some lairs used by the families in the area. As the only burial place in Stewarton in the 18th and 19th centuries, the kirkyard has great local historical significance.

The church is probably built on the site of the former church in Stewarton which was run by the Abbey of Kilwinning. This current church was constructed in 1696 as the Laigh Kirk and the elements remaining from this time include the bell-tower, which was in the centre of the old church and the Corsehill Aisle. The church was gradually extended over the years and dates on the interior mark these phases in 1730, 1773 and 1825. In 1772 the roof was removed and the walls heightened. The timber floors were added in the late 1860s, when other interior alterations may have been done. In 1913, the single-storey vestry to the North was added. The organ installed in the early 20th century. The clock on the bell-tower was manufactured in Stewarton.

The church changed its name from the Laigh Kirk to St Columba's when it united with Cairns United Free Church in Stewarton in 1962. Some stained glass windows from the Cairns church were installed into this church and the Lainshaw gallery to the South was converted into a small chapel.

The Y fork on the bell-tower represents the motto of the Cunninghams 'over fork over' . The legend describes how Malcolm Canmore was fleeing South from Macbeth, King of Scotland who wanted to kill him. Malcolm took refuge in a barn at the estate of Corsehill, just outside Stewarton and called to the farmer to 'over fork over' and the farmer covered him with hay and Macbeth did not find him.

List description updated as part of Stewarton Burgh resurvey, 2009.

References

Bibliography

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