Laigh Kirk Web Extract

The Laigh Kirk or Low Parish Church stands near the centre of the town, and occupies the site of an older church erected about the middle of the 18th century. This does not seem to have been a very substantial structure, for it had to be taken down in 1802, when the present one was erected. It might have stood longer, but, its strength being doubted, the fall of some plaster from the ceiling during afternoon service caused a panic that resulted in the death of 29 persons, and the heritors, anxious to allay all cause of alarm, sanctioned its removal. The spire seems to have survived from a still earlier church, and is said to have had the date 1410 on a door-lintel. The date now to be seen was cut about the middle of the present century. The building of 1802 was enlarged in 1831 at a cost of £1200, and now contains 1457 sittings. One good lesson learned from the panic is visible in the spacious staircases leading to the galleries. An organ was introduced some years ago at a cost of about £500. In the interior is a stone in memory of Robert, fourth Lord Boyd, with the following epitaph said to be the composition of Alexander Montgomery, author of The Cherrie and the Slae:-
'1589
Heir lyis yt godlie, noble wyis lord Boyd
Quha kirk & king & commin weil decoir'd
Quhilke war (quhill they yis joweil all injoyd)
Defendit. counsaild. governd. be that lord.
His ancient hous (oft parreld) he restoird.
Twyis sax and saxtie zeirs he leivd and syne
By death (ye thrid of Januare) devoird
In anno thryis fyve hundreth auchtye nyne.'
In the surrounding churchyard there are, among other interesting stones, several to the memory of persons who suffered death during the Covenanting persecutions. The verses on the older ones are very peculiar. The following are the inscriptions:-
'Here lie the heads of John Ross and John Shields, who suffered at Edinburgh dec. 27th 1666 and had their heads set up in Kilmarnock.
Our persecuters mad with wrath and ire
In Edinburgh members some do lye, some here;
Yet instantly united they shall be
And witness 'gainst this nation's perjury.'
On another of recent erection is the following:-
'Sacred to the memory of Thomas Finlay, John Cuthbertson, William brown. Robert and James Anderson (natives of this parish) who were taken prisoners at Bothwell. June 22nd 1679. sentenced to transportation for life, and drowned on their passage near the Orkney Isles. also. John Finlay. who suffered martyrdom 15th December, 1682, in the Grass-Market, Edinburgh.
Peace to the Church! her peace no friends invade,
Peace to each noble martyrs honoured shade;
They, with undaunted courage, truth, and zeal
Contended for the Church and Country's weal;
we share the fruits. we drop the grateful tear,
And peaceful Ashes o'er their ashes rear.'
On another:-
'Here lies John Nisbet, who was taken by Major Balfour's Party and suffered at Kilmarnock, 14th April. 1683. for adhering to the Word of God and our Covenants. Rev. xii. & 11.
Come, reader, see, here pleasant Nisbet lies.
His blood doth pierce the high and lofty skies;
Kilmarnock did his latter hour perceive
And Christ his soul to heaven did receive.
Yet bloody Torrence did his body raise
And buried it into another place;
Saying "Shall rebels lye in graves with me!
We'll bury him where evil doers be."
The Laigh Kirk is the church that figures in Burns' poem of The Ordination.


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