This was the only church in Stewarton until the 19th century and it is an important part of the history of the town....The core of the church dates to the late 17th century, and includes the crow stepped aisle to the South and the distinctive bell tower....As the only burial place in Stewarton in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Kirk yard 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...The church was gradually extended over the years and dates on the interior mark these phases in 1730, 1773 and 1825.
The Y fork on the bell-tower represents the motto of the Cunningham’s 'overfork 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.
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| Source: http://bristolgift.usanethosting.com/Cunningham.JPG |
This is a particularly unusual combination of a late 18th century probably former farmhouse (30 Vennel Street) with an early 19th century Classical house of some refinement built directly onto the rear, a construction which was facilitated by the removing the rear wall of the farmhouse. 30 Vennel Street is likely to have been a farmhouse in the traditional Ayrshire form with attached byres. Braehead House was built in the early part of the 19th century with a connecting door from one to the other and it is possible that the North section became servants accommodation to the later house.
I was amazed to discover how close Vennel Street was to the ancient Church. Later I realized that this farmhouse appeared in a photo I had taken earlier of the church graveyard.
(Post by Mary Lee Scott Call)
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