Friends of Loudoun Kirk

15/05/2026

The last of the work on the roof and other stonework has now been completed. There was a bit more work to the roof thanks to previous repairs not completed but everything should be watertight and our wee stone cross is back in its rightful place.

Additional work was tackling the rowan tree and w**ds on the west wall. Two holes at the top needed filling in as it was a temptation for them to be used for storing illegal substances. I haven't checked to see if they were filled though. The perimeter wall was cracking in various places and would get worse with rain and frost, so we asked that they should be filled in as well.

This deals with the fabric of the building and wall but we need help clearing the path of w**d and clearing up some of the cut rhododendrons. There is still some of them need cutting down, with the exception of the one that the birds hide in, (at the bench). That will just need to be kept under control.

It might be nice if we could get some smaller shrubs or even replace the invasive species with a non invasive one. I would still be nice to have a floral shrub.

Your help and/or thoughts would be appreciated.

12/05/2026

Shortly, this morning, we will finally get the tree which is growing out the roof removed and any damage caused by it repaired. Additionally depending on work and cost, the stone cross could be reinstated at the same gable end the tree has occupied.

The stone cross was damaged a few years ago when thieves were trying to remove the lead from the roof. After the lead was stolen twice and attempted theft, it was decided to replace the lead with look-alike artificial material. The cross was never restored, so hopefully this will be another box ticked for jobs needing attended to.

The brambles are starting to wander again and can be quite a nuisance on the path. This might be the next item to be dealt with before they get totally out of hand. Any help in their clearance would be appreciated. 🙂

09/05/2026

It was lovely to meet the walkers today and chat to some of them. It's a whistle stop visit but the weather was fine, (although a chill wind). I hope the rest of the walks went well.

22/10/2025

It's ceilidh time. Last year was amazing, everyone welcome.. 💃

08/09/2025

Doors Open Day is 13/14th September throughout Ayrshire and Loudoun Kirk will be open Sun 14th Sept. 12 - 4pm.

Come along and visit us and take advantage of other venues open to the public.

In Person 2025 Theme Ayrshire Ardrossan Castle 13 September 2025 14 September 2025 First recorded in 1149, the ruins of Ardrossan Castle sit atop Ardrossan Castlehill, an elevated rocky outcrop with wide panoramic views of the Firth of Clyde. Ardrossan Castle is one of the oldest castles in Scotland...

23/07/2025

I paid a 2nd visit to the Kirk this month, and I guess the sun and rain have worked wonders for the grass - it has grown, so has the w**ds.

It needs a good tidy up soon as we will be open for Doors Open Day in September. I hope the council will do their bit by cutting the grass but it's sad to see brambles and ivy taking over again.

Now and again there are some left over cans, bottles, plastic bags and vap. tubes but today we took a step back in time and found an arrow. We know kirkyards were often used for weaponry practice called a 'wapinschaw', a term still used for lawn green bowls. Has there been a visit from a mediaeval soldier or has someone been really careless with what looks like a particularly dangerous toy/weapon?

Our colony of bats appears to be thriving although the downside is the smell they create - and the mess. Whilst trying to sweep up the guano, I thought I had come across a dead pipistrelle bat, there usually is the odd one but this didn't look like a baby. Perhaps an elder nearing the end of its life. It hobbled a couple of steps further under the cover so I left it in peace.