Statue House, Burns Monument, Alloway, Ayr

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 05/02/1971 Supplementary Information Updated 05/12/2024 Local Authority South Ayrshire Planning Authority South Ayrshire Burgh Ayr NGR NS 33253 17909 Coordinates 233253, 617909 — 1830. Single storey, octagonal-plan lodge. Sandstone rubble. Base course; timber bracketed eaves. The Southwest (Entrance) Elevation has an advanced central bargeboarded porch and recessed 2-leaf timber door. All other elevations have no openings. Octagonal pyramidal slate roof with lead ridges; finials; rooflights. INTERIOR: statues of Nanse Tunnock, Tam O'Shanter and Souter Johnnie by James Thom, carved from local stone. Plain cornice moulding to ceiling. — Important for its siting, adjacent to the Burns Monument (see separate list description). Modern toilets to rear. The sculptor James Thom was apprenticed to a builder in Kilmarnock and employed in ornamental carving as a boy. In 1827 he executed a statue of Burns and meeting wide praise, undertook more ambitious work. Before the Statue House was built the two statues now within it were fixed one on either side of the Burns Monument. Prior to this they were exhibited in Edinubrgh, Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Dublin and Belfast. On showing in London in 1829, his work was hailed as "... inaugurating a new era in sculpture" (Gunnis).

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.