Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: South Ayrshire

Muirkirk Stane (aka Lighshaw Standing Stone) is a standing stone close to the village of Muirkirk. The menhir is about 2,10m high stands near the A70.

It´s locally claimed, that the Norman church in Symington is amongst the oldest in Scotland. The church was founded in 1160 by Symon Loccard; the village and parish derive its name, ‘Symonstown’, from him. Fragments, mainly the nave, of the current church building still come from the 12th century church.The present appearance is due to additions and alterations in the 18th century to the restoration of 1919. The 1.08 m thick masonry encloses an area of ​​14.25 m × 6.05 m.

Crossraguel may have been a Christian site in Scotland as early as the fourth century. The name may derive from the "Cross of Raighail" ("Cross of Regulus"). Regulus was a Greek monk who fled to Scotland in the fourth century. Donnchadh, Earl of Carrick donated the lands to Paisley Abbey. At that time, however, only a small oratory was built. In 1244, the Bishop of Glasgow settled a dispute between Earl Donnchadh and the monks by instructing the monks to establish a daughter monastery in Crossraguel. The first abbot was installed in 1286. During the Scottish Wars of Independence Crossraguel was sacked in 1307 by the army of Edward I. It was rebuilt on a larger scale and remained a monastery until 1560, when the Reformation ended monastic institutions in Scotland. However, the few remaining monks were allowed to live out their time there until the last monk died in 1601.