Tower of St. John's Church, Ayr

The Church of St. John was built in around 1200. There is very little of it left today, much of the stonework having been removed in 1687 to build the steeple of the Tolbooth in Sandgate. The Scottish Parliament met in the church in 1315 to settle the succession to the Crown on the family of Robert the Bruce. The tower, which remains today, is not as old as the church. Robert Bryden included this engraving in his book "Ayrshire Monuments". The book is a complilation of prints of Ayrshire sites that relate to significant people and events in Scotland's history. It was his hope that these sites would be cherished as reminders of the rich history of the region and of Scotland.