AYR’S St John Tower could be included in an ancient Pilgrimage route which sits between Glasgow Cathedral to Whithorn.

Yolanda McCall, of Fort, Seafield & Wallacetown community council, has been working with the Whithorn Trust to have St. John’s Tower included as a site on the Whithorn Way.

Following the Paisley Abbey 850th anniversary and their successful Pilgrimage Walk to Whithorn there has been a desire to leave a lasting legacy and include more sites. 

There has been a national interest in the re-establishment of pilgrim routes and these parallel interests have combined in the formation of the Whithorn Way Steering Group.

Behind the objectives there is a programme of work and development which could result in this trail becoming a well recognised and a route which attracts people from both home and abroad and which will ultimately be awarded “Scottish Great Trail Status”. 

Whithorn is the site of the earliest Christian community in Scotland, which created the first inscribed Christian monument – known as the Latinus stone – around 450AD. 

Today only the tower remains of Ayr’s original parish church, c.1300. The church at one time was commandeered by Cromwell’s troops. It is thought that through the Commonwealth occupation the church was used as a storehouse and watch tower. 

Documentation shows that St. John’s was in good order in 1693, but is likely to have been demolished soon after that date.

On April, 26, 1315 a meeting of nobility and Parliament in Scotland was convened in St. John’s Kirk. At this meeting the crown was officially given to Robert Bruce and his line.