Kilmarnock, Soulis Cross

NS43NW 9 4301 3821.

(NS 4301 3821) Soulis Cross (NR) (Site of)

OS 25" map (1963)

Soulis Cross, mentioned by Pont, in a stone pillar, 8ft - 9ft high, situated at the south entrance of the High Church. Some years before 1792 it was in ruins but its pieces were re-assembled and re-erected with a small gilt vane on the top. The inscription "L Soules 1444" was added and refers to the supposed killing of Lord Soulis nearby at that date. Smellie and Small each refer to "Soules Cross and Smellies's drawing has a different and metal floriation from Small who illustrates a modern stone floriation on top of an octagional shaft of two stones and a base of two steps.

OSA 1792; NSA 1845 (A Hamilton); J Dobie 1876; T Smellie 1898; J W

Small 1900

Soulis Cross is now in the Dick Institute Museum, Kilmarnock. Its original site seems to have been that shown on OS 6" 1856, in the street at NS 4301 3821. It was later moved (see OS 25" 1937) to NS 4300 3820, in the churchyard. The date "1600" on it may denote its date of erection. The modern monument is inscribed: "To the memory of Lord Soulis...erected 1825".

Visited by OS (JLD) 8 August 1956

This cross, as described, is no longer on display, and is held in store at the Museum (J Hunter, Dick Institute Museum, Kilmarnock).

Visited by OS (JRL) 18 August 1982