Kilmaurs Village and Church

St. Maurs Glencairn Parish Church -------Glencairn Aisle

Glencairn Aisle exterior 2006

Glencairn Aisle exterior pre 1888

At the rear of St. Maurs Glencairn Church is a small extension, it houses the Glencairn Aisle.

It was commissioned by James the 7th Earl of Glencairn (1581-1629), to be a memorial to himself and his wife Margaret and their family. Originally separated from the church by a small passage it is now joined onto the south wall of St. Maurs Glencairn.

Once inside the wooden door and through an old iron gate you find the monument, a large mural structure, the final burying place of the Earl and his family, erected in the year 1600.

There to see are the two ½ sized figures of the Earl and Countess clad in armour, open books before them and their arms in prayer. Below we see eight figures representing the two boys and six girls of their family. In the centre is the motto :

                  Nothing surer than death, be therefore

                            sober and watch in prayer