Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Ayrshire Doors Open 2012

Last weekend was an opportunity to see some buildings not normally open to the public courtesy of Ayrshire Doors Open Day.

Saturday was Rowallan Old Castle which is curated by Scottish Heritage. We got an hour and a half of guided tour and learned fascinating facts about the castle and its previous inhabitants.

Rowallan Castle front
Rowallan Old Castle

Next up Alloway Parish Church, not for the building but for its stained glass windows.

Alloway parish church seasons window
Stained Glass Window - Seasons

This was followed by a couple of sites associated with Burn's poem Tam o' Shanter.

Alloway old church
Alloway Kirk

The ruined Alloway Kirk, site of the witches coven, and the Brig o' Doon over which the witches could not cross.

Alloway - Brig 'o Doon 1
Brig o' Doon bridge

Then a quick circuit of Burn's birth place.

Alloway - Burns cottage parlour
Burn's Cottage

Sunday it was over to Tarbolton for the Batchelors' Club and Tarbolton Masonic Lodge after which it was over to Symington for a pub lub and the beautiful Norman church.

Next we went home to collect May and took her over to to see Kilwinning Mother Lodge Number 0. It is the oldest lodge in Scotland and is actually "Number Nothing" meaning un-numbered, but in custom and practice is referred to as Number  0. There we bumped into cyber friends Lynette and Tommy Lusk.

Kilwinning - Mother Lodge No 0 - room 1
Kilwinning Mother Lodge No. 0

Mary's father was treasurer of the lodge for 25 years; we met a number of his old friends and had pointed out the treasurer's chair where he used to sit.

Kilwinning - Mother Lodge No 0 - Treasurers chair
Treasurer's Chair

Then it was time to return May home and head off to the airport, via Mary's sister for a cup of tea, and the flight home.

Alloway parish church seasons windowDean CastleRowallan Castle frontRowallan Castle left sideRowallan Castle interiorRowallan Castle right side
Alloway parish churchAlloway parish church River Doon windowAlloway old church Burns parentsAlloway old churchAlloway - Brig 'o Doon 1Alloway - Brig 'o Doon 2
Alloway statues - Tam O'Shanter, Souter JohnAlloway - Burns memorialAlloway - Burns cottage exteriorAlloway - Burns cottage byreAlloway - Burns cottage parlourTarbolton - Batchelors' Club exterior
Tarbolton - Batchelors' Club plaqueTarbolton - Masonic LodgeTarbolton - Masonic lodge 2Symington - Pub lunchSymington - Norman church 1Symington - Norman church 2
20120901-ayr-doors-open, a set on Flickr.
Doors open

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