St. John's Tower Ayr.

Old... very old are the towering remnants of a once proud Church that stuck it's feet in the ground in the 13th Century. St John's Tower is the oldest surviving building in the Town of Ayr. In fact so old that it was here long before Ayr became a Burgh.

The place is steeped in history with many notable events happening within it's walls. On the 26th April 1315 a meeting of Parliament in Scotland was arranged here. At this meeting the Crown was officially given to none other than Robert the Bruce, fresh from the battlefields of Bannockburn.

Many Kings and Queens have come and gone during it's tenure. A statistical account of 1693 lists the St John's Kirk in good standing. Not war nor battle saw it's destruction, but the Town Council of 1726 took it apart one stone at a time. Mary Queen of Scots stabled her horses here during a visit in 1563. John Knox's son-in-law served as Minister here and the man himself probably preached in the Kirk. Knox's daughter Elizabeth is believed to be buried near the tower.

Lord Bute was determined to keep what was left of the Tower in good standing. In 1914 he authorized the restoration of the structure and today as it sits it's in incredible condition considering it's age. 35 years later in 1949 Lord Bute transferred the ownership to the Burgh of Ayr where it survives in good hands to this day.

Where is Ayr? : More photos of Ayr.

A miracle of 13th century construction, it stands in about an acre of ground surrounded by a 5 foot stone wall.

Once upon a time it commanded a clear unobstructed view of the Ocean. Now of course surrounded by suburbville!

Take note in the photo to the left the incredible accuracy of the stonework in the double archways. There's no fancy metal holding it up from the inside. This is purely gravity at work.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the aging structure. There seems to be less and less money available for old buildings every time the local municipalities open their chequebooks.