Burns Monument
Encyclopedia
The Burns Monument in Kay Park
, Kilmarnock
, Scotland
, commemorates the poet Robert Burns
(1759-1796). It is located at an elevated position within Kay Park, to the east of Kilmarnock Town Centre. The monument was opened in 1879, and is a category B listed building. In 2004 a fire destroyed part of the monument. The building was restored and extended as a genealogy
centre, reopening as the Burns Monument Centre in 2009.
On Burns Night 1877, a movement to erect a memorial in Kilmarnock was begun. Subscriptions came in so quickly that the organisers decided to investigate the possibility of a memorial building as well as a marble statue. In October, a design by local architect Robert S Ingram was accepted by the committee, and he began the preparation of drawings. In December, a design competition for the statue attracted 21 entries, and William Grant Stevenson of Edinburgh was judged the winner. The foundation stone was laid on 14 September 1878, by R. W. Cochran-Patrick of Woodside, Depute Provincial Grand Master for Ayrshire.
In August 1879, the 40 acres (16.2 ha) Kay Park was opened, with the completed Burns Monument as its focus. The statue was officially unveiled by Colonel Charles Alexander of Ballochmyle
MP on 9 August. The monument cost around £1,500, with another £800 spent on the statue.
The design of the monument has been described as "an eclectic fusion of Scots Baronial
, neo-Gothic and Italianate, with a dash of Baroque
and a hint of Romanesque
." The original building comprised a two-storey T-plan museum, topped by an 80 feet (24.4 m) high octagonal tower and spire, with the life-size white marble statue of Burns by Stevenson in a porch at the front. The tower offered wide views across Kilmarnock. Ingram, a prolific local architect, considered the monument to be his finest work.
Planning permission was granted in September 2006 for the partial re-instatement of the Burns Monument, with an extension to provide a marriage suite, registration service and archive service. The extension, designed by East Ayrshire Council architects, envelopes the remaining staircase and portico, which houses the statue of Robert Burns, and provides a courtyard setting with the statue of Burns and the remaining section of the original monument as a focal point to the northern elevation of the courtyard. The £5m Burns Monument Centre was opened in May 2009 by First Minister
Alex Salmond
, as Scotland's first purpose-built genealogy centre.
In July 2010, it was announced that the rebuilt Centre was one of six buildings nominated for the annual Carbuncle Cup
, given to the "ugliest building in the UK completed in the last 12 months." The Carbuncle Cup is given by Building Design
magazine, based on nominations from the public. The nominator of the Burns Monument Centre described it as a "forced, clumpy monstrosity with pointlessly random rooves".
Kay Park
Kay Park is a park in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. It was purchased, laid out, and gifted to the town of Kilmarnock by insurance broker Alexander Kay. It opened in 1879, and is the home of a large monument to Robert Burns. There was formerly a miniature golf course, which can still be seen...
, Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, commemorates the poet Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
(1759-1796). It is located at an elevated position within Kay Park, to the east of Kilmarnock Town Centre. The monument was opened in 1879, and is a category B listed building. In 2004 a fire destroyed part of the monument. The building was restored and extended as a genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
centre, reopening as the Burns Monument Centre in 2009.
History
Kilmarnock has many links with Burns; the first edition of his work was printed here in 1786, by John Wilson, a local printer. Of this first edition only 612 copies were printed, and copies of this rare book are now known as Kilmarnock Editions.On Burns Night 1877, a movement to erect a memorial in Kilmarnock was begun. Subscriptions came in so quickly that the organisers decided to investigate the possibility of a memorial building as well as a marble statue. In October, a design by local architect Robert S Ingram was accepted by the committee, and he began the preparation of drawings. In December, a design competition for the statue attracted 21 entries, and William Grant Stevenson of Edinburgh was judged the winner. The foundation stone was laid on 14 September 1878, by R. W. Cochran-Patrick of Woodside, Depute Provincial Grand Master for Ayrshire.
In August 1879, the 40 acres (16.2 ha) Kay Park was opened, with the completed Burns Monument as its focus. The statue was officially unveiled by Colonel Charles Alexander of Ballochmyle
Hagart-Alexander Baronets
thumb|right|Sir Claud Alexander, 2nd Baronet The Alexander, later Hagart-Alexander Baronetcy, of Ballochmyle in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 22 January 1886 for Major-General Claud Alexander, who served in the Crimean War and represented...
MP on 9 August. The monument cost around £1,500, with another £800 spent on the statue.
The design of the monument has been described as "an eclectic fusion of Scots Baronial
Scottish baronial style
The Scottish Baronial style is part of the Gothic Revival architecture style, using stylistic elements and forms from castles, tower houses and mansions of the Gothic architecture period in Scotland, such as Craigievar Castle and Newark Castle, Port Glasgow. The revival style was popular from the...
, neo-Gothic and Italianate, with a dash of Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
and a hint of Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
." The original building comprised a two-storey T-plan museum, topped by an 80 feet (24.4 m) high octagonal tower and spire, with the life-size white marble statue of Burns by Stevenson in a porch at the front. The tower offered wide views across Kilmarnock. Ingram, a prolific local architect, considered the monument to be his finest work.
Fire and redevelopment
The monument was badly damaged by fire in November 2004. The two storey museum section, at the rear, and the semi-octagonal two-storey tower collapsed, leaving only the front stairs, porch, part of the ground floor outer walls and two of the main internal walls.Planning permission was granted in September 2006 for the partial re-instatement of the Burns Monument, with an extension to provide a marriage suite, registration service and archive service. The extension, designed by East Ayrshire Council architects, envelopes the remaining staircase and portico, which houses the statue of Robert Burns, and provides a courtyard setting with the statue of Burns and the remaining section of the original monument as a focal point to the northern elevation of the courtyard. The £5m Burns Monument Centre was opened in May 2009 by First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
, as Scotland's first purpose-built genealogy centre.
In July 2010, it was announced that the rebuilt Centre was one of six buildings nominated for the annual Carbuncle Cup
Carbuncle Cup
The Carbuncle Cup is an architecture prize, given annually by the magazine Building Design to "the ugliest building in the United Kingdom completed in the last 12 months". The award was based on an idea created by the Scottish architecture magazine Prospect, which has run the Carbuncle Awards since...
, given to the "ugliest building in the UK completed in the last 12 months." The Carbuncle Cup is given by Building Design
Building Design
Building Design is one of the leading architectural magazines in the United Kingdom.According to ABC , the magazine's circulation for the year ending June 2008 was 22,848. The publishing company is UBM Built Environment, a division of United Business Media, which also publishes Building and...
magazine, based on nominations from the public. The nominator of the Burns Monument Centre described it as a "forced, clumpy monstrosity with pointlessly random rooves".
External links
- Burns Monument Centre official site
- Burns Monument Destroyed by fire, The Barred Bard
- Burns Monument Consultation, showing alternative proposals by East Ayrshire Council for redevelopment of the monument
- Burns Monument Centre, pictures of work in progress from East Ayrshire Council