Burns Memorial Tower, Mauchline

To mark the centenary of the death of Burns, it was deemed appropriate that Mauchline should have a National Burns Memorial, for it was while a tenant at Mossgiel Farm close to Mauchline from 1784 to 1788 that Burns composed many of his best known works, and became a national figure. The prime movers in the proposal to erect a Memorial to the poet were the members of the Glasgow Mauchline Society, who organised a national appeal to raise £5,000 for the building costs. A design competition for the Memorial was won by William Fraser with his Scots Baronial tower submission. The foundation stone was laid on 23rd July 1896