Burns Monument

The Burns Monument stands in Kay Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland. It honours the poet Robert Burns and occupies a raised position in the park, east of the town centre. The original building opened in 1879 as a two-storey museum topped by an 80-foot tower. Its design mixed Scots Baronial, neo-Gothic, Italianate, Baroque and Romanesque styles. A white marble statue of Burns by William Grant Stevenson stood in the porch. The architect Robert S Ingram considered it his finest work. The monument has strong links to Burns’s life. The first edition of his poems, printed locally in 1786 by John Wilson, became known as the Kilmarnock Edition. Only 612 copies were made. In 1877 a movement began to build a memorial, and funds arrived quickly. The foundation stone was laid in 1878 by R. W. Cochran-Patrick. The statue was unveiled by Colonel Charles Alexander on 9 August 1879. After arson in 2004, only the porch, stairs and part of the walls remained. The new Burns Monument Centre opened in 2009, designed by East Ayrshire Council architects. It wraps around the surviving staircase and statue, creating a courtyard. The statue of Burns now forms the focus of the northern side. The centre also houses a marriage suite, registration service and archive.