The Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock

This was Kilmarnock’s original church; in 1731 another was built to alleviate the pressure of a growing population and was named the High Kirk. The Laigh Kirk was rebuilt, for on 18 October 1801 an unexpected tragedy occurred; some falling masonry inside the church prompted a panicked rush for the exits and some twenty-nine people died. The church was rebuilt the following year. Many notable people are buried in the kirkyard, from friends of Robert Burns, such as Tam Samson, to prominent figures in the Covenanting movement.