Alloway Auld Kirk

Southern Scotland


Near the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum are the ruins of the kirk, the setting for part of Burns' verse tale 'Tam o' Shanter'. Burns' father, William, is buried in the kirkyard; read the poem on the back of the gravestone.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Southern Scotland attractions

1. Burns Monument & Memorial Gardens

0.08 MILES

Within these gardens near the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is a striking neo-Grecian monument to the poet, completed in 1823. It affords a view of the…

2. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

0.11 MILES

This impressive museum has collected a solid range of Burns memorabilia, including manuscripts and possessions of the poet, like the pistols he packed for…

3. Auld Kirk

2.44 MILES

Robert Burns was baptised in the Auld Kirk. The atmospheric cemetery here overlooks the river and is good for a stroll, offering an escape from the bustle…

4. St John’s Tower

2.47 MILES

This is the only remnant of the church that hosted a parliament in 1315, the year after the celebrated victory at the battle of Bannockburn. John Knox’…

5. Auld Brig

2.55 MILES

Several of Burns' poems are set here in Ayr; in Twa Brigs, Ayr's old and new bridges argue with one another. The Auld Brig was built in 1491 and spans the…

6. Crossraguel Abbey

7 MILES

Between the towns of Maybole and Kirkoswald, by the A77, Crossraguel Abbey is a substantial ruin dating back to the 13th century that’s good fun to…

7. Culzean Castle & Country Park

7.84 MILES

The Scottish National Trust's flagship property, magnificent Culzean (kull-ane) is one of the most impressive of Scotland's stately homes. On approach the…

8. Dundonald Castle

10.42 MILES

Dundonald Castle commands impressive views and, in its main hall, has one of the finest barrel-vaulted ceilings preserved in Scotland. It was the first…