Auld Kirk Of Ayr, Kirk Port, Ayr

Auld Kirk of Ayr is a gabled church dating from 1652, with significant alterations in 1836 by David Bryce, followed by renovations in 1864, 1887, 1933 and 1952. It began as a T-plan building, but is now cruciform, with a south arm addition. The church is constructed from sandstone rubble, with the south arm faced in stugged, squared, and snecked sandstone. Gothic detailing is prominent, including a cornice, finials, and roll-moulded pointed arch openings.

The north arm's north-facing elevation features a central, roll-moulded, square-headed entrance with a two-leaf timber door and a lantern above a relieving arch. Flanking are leaded lights, and a cusped tracery window tops the gable. The west elevation has two pairs of leaded lights to the left, a tracery window to the right, and two gabled dormers with tracery windows in the attic. Memorial stones are set into the walls. The east elevation mirrors the north and west elevations. A memorial to the Reverend William Adair is located centrally on the east elevation.

The west arm's west-facing elevation is similar to the north arm's north-facing elevation. Stained glass is present in a pair of lights on the left. The north elevation features two pairs of leaded lights and two gabled attic dormers with tracery windows. A memorial stone is set into the wall. The south elevation mirrors the north and west elevations and includes a timber door to the outer left.

The south arm's south-facing elevation has a single tracery window in the gablehead with a splayed transom. The east elevation has three square-headed leaded windows. The west elevation features a timber door to the left, a letterbox fanlight above it, a recessed panel, and flanking, square-headed, leaded windows.

The east arm's east-facing elevation is similar to the north arm's north-facing elevation. A single leaded window is present to the left, while the windows to the right contain stained glass; the gable window lacks cusping in its tracery. The north elevation has two attic dormers and an infilled single window to the right of centre. Memorial stones are set into the wall. The south elevation mirrors the north arm's east elevation, with stained glass in the lower pair of windows.

The church has leaded and stained glass windows and a grey slate roof. Stone skews and skewputts are present, with skewputts on the north elevation dated 1654.

The interior is T-plan and features a timber roof, pews, including a box pew to the east, and predominantly late 19th century church furniture. A bow-fronted, panelled pulpit with a sounding board is present, rebuilt after an original pulpit was removed and restored in 1952. Three galleries, supported by turned timber columns with colonnettes to the arcaded, panelled fronts, are located throughout the building; these incorporate pendants to arches, a niche frieze, a Trades' Gallery to the west, a Merchant's Gallery to the north, and a Sailor's Gallery to the east, from which hangs a model of the ship 'Arethusa'.