-lilif!«J!ili-n:-K'::r;.l.'':H^:;'!'v^'=r:^
■ir THE BRIG OF AYR
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OF
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OF CALIFORNIA
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THE BRIG OF AYR
THE BRIG OF AYR
AND SOMETHING OF
ITS STORY M M M By
JAMES A. MORRIS
SEVENTH EDITION
AYR : STEPHEN & POLLOCK
I 9 I 2
TO
E. M.
62974S
t.
ILLUSTRATIONS
VIEW OF THE NEW BRIDGE AND TOLBOOTH
frontispiece
REPRINT OF HAND-BILL, DATED 1792
to face page eighteen
" THE TWA BRIGS" IN MARCH 1878
to Jace page twenty-three
" THE TWA BRIGS" IN THE LATE SIXTIES
to face page tvjentyfour
VIE W OF AYR IN 1693
to face page thirty-three
" THE TWA BRIGS" IN 18^1
to face page thirty-six
THE AULD BRIG IN THE EARLY SIXTIES
to face page forty-three
THE AULD BRIG FROM THE NORTH-EAST AFTER
PRESERVATIVE OPERATIONS
to face page sixty-six
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE HEART OF THE BRIG, SHOWING THE CON-
CRETE SHAFT-HEAD AND CENTRAL SPAN-
DREL WALL
to face page sixty-Hint
THE BRIG ROADWAY AFTER PRESERVATIVE
OPERATIONS
to Jact page seventy-Jive
PREFATORY NOTE
THE poem, " The Brigs of Ayr," was
written in 1786, and inscribed to
the Poet's good friend, Mr John
Ballantine, banker, Ayr. He it was who gen-
erously offered to advance the sum, happily
not required, for the production of the
Second Edition, published in Edinburgh in
1787, which, following by a year the Kil-
marnock Edition, contained twenty -two
pieces additional thereto, one of them " The
Brigs of Ayr." To Mr Ballantine, Burns ad-
dressed several letters from Edinburgh, in-
forming him of his reception by the world
of birth, letters, and good fellowship ; and,
as indicative throughout all his triumphs
and later troubles of how warm a place Ayr
held in his heart, let the following letter
establish : —
March 1791.
"While here I sit, sad and solitary, by the side
of a fire in a little country inn, and drying my wet
clothes, in pops a poor fellow of a sodger, and tells
me he is going to Ayr. By heavens ! say I to my-
self, with a tide of good spirits which the magic
of that sound, Auld Toon o' Ayr, conjured up, I
will send my last song to Mr Ballantine. Here
it is: —
PREFATORY NOTE
"Ye flowery banks o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye blume sae fair !
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae fu' o' care !
Thou'U break my heart, thou bonnie bird,
That sings upon the bough ;
Thou minds me o' the happy days
When my fause luve was true.
Thou'll break my heart, thou bonnie bird.
That sings beside thy mate ;
For sae I sat, and sae I sang.
And wist na o' my fate.
Aft hae I rov'd by bonnie Doon,
To see the woodbine twine.
And ilka bird sang o' its love.
And sae did I o' mine.
Wi* lightsome heart I pu'd a rose
Frae afFits thorny tree.
And my fause luver staw the rose,
But left the thorn wi' me."
The second version of the song, one of the
most beautiful lyrics ever written, is here
given in the form in which it was sent to
Mr Ballantine, and not the altered and later
version now in general use.
The New Bridge, designed by Mr Rob-
ert Adams, and built during the Provostship
of Mr Ballantine, was practically finished in
lO
PREFATORY NOTE
1789 ; but on what I am told was the mid-
dle baluster of the range above the midmost
arch, on the west and untouched side, is the
date 1785, and this baluster is in the pos-
session of the heirs of the late Mr John
Miller, Fort Castle, Ayr, to whom much of
the dressed stonework of the Brig found its
way during the period of its demolition.
The four valuable cast-lead figures from
the Bridge were at first secured by private
individuals, but they are now and more fit-
tingly in the gardens of Alloway Cottage
and Burns' Monument, two in each ; Ceres
and Bacchus disporting themselves on the
cottage lawn, while Pan and Marsyas, hav-
ing found for themselves secluded bowers
by the riverside, tune their pipes to its music.
In the Town Council minutes of the time,
there is a series of interesting references to
the building of this bridge. The Committee
of the Council charged with the conduct of
the work was, on the 24th February 1786,
instructed to sign the contract " with Alex-
ander Stevens, mason in Prestonhall" ; and
at the monthl)' meeting on the 3rd May of
the same year, it was reported that the con-
tract had been duly signed. On the 21st
January 1789, there is the entry that the
I T
PREFATORY NOTE
bridge " was finished " ; instructions were
given to have it inspected, and, if found sat-
isfactory, taken over from the contractor.
This was done, and on the 3rd March 1790
the accounts, amounting in all to ^4063 , 2S.,
were reported settled. The poem was writ-
ten probably between the publication of the
Kilmarnock Edition, on the 3 ist July 1786,
and certainly prior to the 7th or 8th of Octo-
ber of the same year; and the foregoing notes
from the Burgh minutes are of interest, be-
cause they give the authoritative dates of the
beginning and close of the building opera-
tions. Between the 3 ist May, when it was
reported to the Council that the contract had
been signed, and the early days of October
— the period of Burns' letter to Aiken — very
little even of the " rising piers " could have
been visible, and the "braw new coat" then
existed only on the contract drawings, or in
the poet's imagination ; even the arches had
not yet been "streeket ower frae bank tae
bank." It was long a tradition among the
older generation of Ayr masons — indeed I
have heard it repeated by a descendant if not
of Alexander Stevens himself, then of one
who had a prominent sharein the work — that
the foundations were, at the time of building,
12
PREFATORY NOTE
considered unsatisfactory. Whether, how-
ever, this applied to the actual foundations,
or to the strata upon which they were placed,
I was not able to ascertain.
Burns' emphatic prediction,
" Then down ye'U hurl, deil nor ye never rise !
And dash the gumlie jaups up to the pouring
skies."
may, therefore, possibly have been based on
something more than prescience.
In 1844, four years after the opening of
the railway between Glasgow and Ayr,
powers were obtained from Parliament for
the widening of the bridge — which had be-
come inadequate for the increased traffic —
the terminus of the railway being then on
the north side of the river. This widening
was carried out " on the upper side, in a line
with the east side of Bridge Street, which will
give an additional width of 1 3 feet 9 inches.'*
Other than this excerpt from the minutes of
the Council, there does not appear to be any
further reference to the matter, either in the
minutes of the Town Council, or in those of
the Road Trustees, both of which bodies
apparently had a share in the operations ;
nor is there seemingly any allusion to the
13
PREFATORY NOTE
widening of the Bridge, or its reopening, in
any of the local newspapers of the day.
The new parapet abutted against the still
existing old house, probably built with the
Bridge, but its characteristic oriel windows
are surely an unusual reproduction in Adams
work, of what would seem to suggest descent
from the plaster and timber oriels of a pre-
ceding, and more indigenous style. This
older view, shown in the frontispiece, is from
a large painted tray in my possession ; inter-
esting also as showing the Tolbooth with its
" dungeon clock " and nineteen steps, as well
as something of the earlier Ayr in the Bridge
neighbourhood.
The widened Bridge became dangerous
in 1 877, and was removed in that and in the
following year, during the occupancy of the
civic chair by Mr Thomas Steele ; from
whom I have it that early one morning the
chief constable. Captain M'Donald, a decor-
ous, douce, and usually deliberate highland-
man, rushed in upon him and with upraised
hands and gestures of consternation cried out,
" Provost, the brig's doon the water ! "
The location of " Simpson's " Tavern is
established by an old hand-bill dated 5th
September 1792, which is here reproduced
H
PREFATORY NOTE
by the kindness of Mrs Campbell of Dal-
dorch, who recently accompanied me to
the Black Bull Inn, and identified the old
house next it on the east, as the house re-
ferred to in the circular. It may there-
fore be reasonably assumed that Burns,
whether in the body or out of the body, must
have wandered across the Auld Brig, and,
turning to the left at " Simpson's," taken his
stand somewhere on the northern bank of
the river between the Brigs, and from thence
beheld his vision. Reference is also made in
the Town Council minutes of the ist July
1 789 to "John Simson, Innkeeper at Bridg-
end of Ayr," whose petition to be made ex-
empt from payment of toll on the New
Bridge was refused, on the ground that he
kept a public stable, and that " even his own
horses are let out for hire."
I have here to acknowledge with pleasure
the kindness of Mr P. A. Thomson, the
Town Clerk of Ayr, and my indebtedness to
him for ready access afforded me at all times
to the Burgh minutes and other documents.
The version of "The Brigs of Ayr," now
reproduced, is taken from the volume in
which it was first published ; " Poems, chiefly
in the Scottish Dialect. By Robert Burns.
15
PREFATORY NOTE
Edinburgh : printed for the Author, and
Sold by William Creech, m, dcc, lxxxvii."
Lord Rosebery , however, has in hispossession
the MS. of another version, which I saw, and
which his lordship took with him and held
in his hand while he addressed the meeting at
Glasgow, in aid of the Lord Provost's Fund
for the preservation of the Auld Brig of Ayr.
The accompanying outline of the more
salient features of the history of the preserva-
tion movement, was published prior to the
reopening ceremony, as an article written
for The Glasgow Herald, which identified it-
self, through Dr Wallace, the then editor, so
strongly with the preservation movement ;
and for its reproduction, in a revised and
perhaps more conveniently permanent form,
I am indebted to the courtesy of Mr F. Har-
court Kitchin, the present Editor of that
newspaper.
As the reopening ceremony followed the
article by several days, no reference could of
course therein be made to the proceedings ;
and the brief extracts from the speeches bear-
ing more directly on the Brig, now added in
the form of an appendix,* have been incor-
porated, as also Lord Rosebery 's always elo-
* Appendix A.
i6
PREFATORY NOTE
quent and in this instance peculiarly rever-
ent and touching peroration, at the request
of many readers of this little book ; who,
having kindly expressed a strong desire that
such reference should be included, are here
accommodated ; in order, as they said, that
the outline record of the preservation move-
ment should be made relatively complete,
and the story carried onward, meantime at
least, to the day of the reopening ceremony.
Several correspondents abroad, and long
absent from Ayr, have asked if the old sun-
dial they remember as boys has been re-
tained ? Most gladly do I answer that it is
as they knew it, unaltered and untouched.
It was carefully taken down in one block
together with its several supporting stones,
and all in one block as carefully replaced ; so
that to-day the sundial stands on the parapet,
exactly as it stood when they and I first saw
it — now perhaps nearly fifty years ago.
The old wrought-iron lamp, with its par-
ticularly long back stay reaching down to
the steeply inclined cutwater, which so
many of them recall, is also still in position ;
and not a few have reverted to their fool-
hardy and venturesome scrambles down its
slender length to the precarious foothold
2 17
PREFATORY NOTE
afforded by the cutwater slope, in predatory
incursions after the fragrant wall-flower
which found roothold in the open joints
between the stones. The wall-flower, alas !
a stray gooseberry bush, and all the luxur-
ious vegetation which grew so thickly on
the several cutwater slopes, — upon one of
which a Brig story tells that, in the dawn
of a long-ago morning, a goat was found
browsing, — have been cleared away, and
the picturesque covering and colour sacri-
ficed at the shrine of preservation.
It is very pleasant to receive letters inquir-
ing about these things, indicating as they do
that grown men in far-off lands can become
boys in heart again in the remembrance of
the Brig. These are among the things that
hold a people together, and the spirit which
impelled many to clamber down the lamp
stay, as also round the narrow cliff edge, now
impassable, between Greenan Castle and the
sea ; the same old " Daur ye do it ? " in the
vernacular of the past, has doubtless carried
the same men round many a tight corner and
up many a stey brae, in other and later times.
JAMES A. MORRIS.
Savoy Croft, Ayr,
14/^ January 1912.
18
BRIDGE-END. Df .Alt
UGH SMITH, Shoeruakci', beuio
forced by the Magistrates tolco^ve tlieTo^v^n
of Air, becaufe he would not Swjea.^ tiie
iiU IVGESS OATH, has opened a Snor in
large Room at the Eaft end of Mr, SiMso^jvs^
U\n, He returns thank's to thofe wlio have
) Ccu'v favoured liim with thcu' orders; folicits .|^
tlie continuance of their favour; and- begs ''T,
leave to affure them, and ail others who njav
'. - . ^ ^
he picaicd to employ him, that he will make
;.is fiiuly to ferve them as ^¥e]l as he is able.
REPRINT OF OLD HAND-BILL
THE
BRIGS OF AYR.
A POEM.
Inscribed to J. B*********, Esq; Ayr.
THE simple Bard, rough at the rustic
plough,
Learning his tuneful trade from ev'ry
bough ;
The chanting linnet, or the mellow thrush,
Hailing the setting sun, sweet, in the green thorn
bush,
The soaring lark, the perching red-breast shrill,
Or deep-ton'd plovers, grey, wild-whistling o'er
the hill ;
Shall he, nurst in the Peasant's lowly shed,
To hardy Independence bravely bred.
By early Poverty to hardship steel'd.
And train'd to arms in stern Misfortune's field,
Shall he be guilty of their hireling crimes.
The servile, mercenary Swiss of rhymes ?
Or labour hard the panegyric close.
With all the venal soul of dedicating Prose ?
No ! though his artless strains he rudely sings.
And throws his hand uncouthly o'er the strings.
He glows with all the spirit of the Bard,
Fame, honest fame, his great, his dear reward.
19
THE BRIGS OF AYR
Still, if some Patron's gen'rous care he trace,
Skill'd in the secret, to bestow with grace ;
When B********* befriends his humble name.
And hands the rustic Stranger up to fame.
With heartfelt throes his grateful bosom swells,
The godlike bliss, to give, alone excels.
Twas when the stacks get on their winter-hap.
And thack and rape secure the toil-won crap ;
Potatoe-bings are snugged up frae skaith
Of coming Winter's biting, frosty breath ;
The bees, rejoicing o'er their summer-toils,
Unnumber'd buds an' flow'rs' delicious spoils,
Seal'd up with frugal care in massive, waxen
piles.
Are doom'd by Man, that tyrant o'er the weak,
The death o' devils, smoor'd wi' brimstone reek :
The thund'ring guns are heard on ev'ry side,
The wounded coveys, reeling, scatter wide ;
The feather'd field-mates, bound by Nature's tie.
Sires, mothers, children, in one carnage lie :
(What warm, poetic heart but inly bleeds,
And execrates man's savage, ruthless deeds !)
Nae mair the flow'r in field or meadow springs ;
Nae mair the grove with airy concert rings.
Except perhaps the Robin's whistling glee,
Proud o' the height o' some bit half-lang tree :
The hoary morns precede the sunny days.
Mild, calm, serene, wide-spreads the noontide
blaze.
While thick the gossamour waves wanton in
the rays.
20
THE BRIGS OF AYR
'Twas in that season ; when a simple Bard,
Unknown and poor, simplicity's reward,
Ae night, within the ancient brugh of Ayr^
By whim inspir'd, or haply prest wi' care.
He left his bed and took his wayward rout.
And down by Simpsoris* wheel'd the left about :
(Whether impell'd by all-directing Fate,
To witness what I after shall narrate ;
Or whether, rapt in meditation high.
He wander'd out he knew not where nor why)
The drowsy Dungeon-c/ockf had number 'd two.
And Wallace Tow'r'f had sworn the fact was true :
The tide-swoln Firth, with sullen-sounding roar,
Through the still night dash'd hoarse along the
shore :
All else was hush'd as Nature's closed e'e ;
The silent moon shone high o'er tow'r and tree :
The chilly Frost, beneath the silver beam.
Crept, gently-crusting, o'er the glittering
stream.
"When, lo ! on either hand the list'ning Bard,
The clanging sugh of whistling wings is heard ;
Two dusky forms dart thro' the midnight air,
Swift as the GosX drives on the wheeling hare ;
Ane on th' AuU Brig his hairy shape uprears.
The ither flutters o'er the rising piers :
Our warlock Rhymer instantly descry'd
The Sprites that owre the Brigs of Ayr preside.
* A noted tavern at the Auld Brig end.
t The two steeples.
X The gos-hawk, or falcon.
21
THE BRIGS OF AYR
(That Bards are second-sighted is nae joke,
And ken* the lingo of the spiritual folk ;
Fays, Spunkies, Kelpies, a', they can explain them,
And ev'n the vera deils they brawly ken them).
Auld Brig appear'd of ancient Pictish race,
The vera wrinkles Gothic in his face :
He seem'd as he wi' Time had warstl'd lang.
Yet, teughly doure, he bade an unco bang.
New Brig was buskit in a braw, new coat,
That he, at Lotion, frae ane Adams got ;
In's hand five taper staves as smooth's a bead,
Wi' virls an' whirlygigums at the head.
The Goth was stalking round with anxious search,
Spying the time-worn flaws in ev'ry arch ;
It chanc'd his new-come neebor took his e'e,
And e'en a vex'd and angry heart had he !
Wi' thieveless sneer to see his modish mien,
He, down the water, gies him this guideen
AULD BRIG.
I doubt na, frien', ye'll think ye're nae sheep-
shank,
A nee ye were streekit owre frae bank to bank !
But gin ye be a brig as auld as me,
Tho' faith, that date, I doubt, ye'll never see ;
There'll be, if that day come, I'll wad a boddle,
Some fewer whigmeleeries in your noddle.
NEW BRIG.
Auld Vandal, ye but show your little mense.
Just much aboot it wi' your scanty sense ;
22
THE BRIGS OF AYR
Will your poor, narrow foot-path of a street,
Where twa wheel-barrows tremble when they
meet,
Your ruin'd, formless bulk o' stane and lime,
Compare wi' bonie Brigs o' modern time ?
There's men o' taste wou'd tak the Ducat-stream* y
Tho' they should cast the vera sark and swim,
E'er they would grate their feelings wi' the view
Of sic an ugly, Gothic hulk as you.
A U L D BRIG.
Conceited gowk ! pufF'd up wi' windy pride !
This mony a year I've stood the flood an' tide ;
And tho' wi' crazy eild I'm sair forfairn,
I'll be a Brig when ye're a shapeless cairn !
As yet ye little ken about the matter.
But twa-three winters will inform ye better.
When heavy, dark, continued, a'-day rains
Wi' deepening deluges o'erflow the plains ;
When from the hills where springs the brawling
Or stately Lugar^s mossy fountains boil.
Or where the Greenockwxnds his moorland course,
Or haunted Garpal'\ draws his feeble source,
Arous'd by blustering winds and spotting thowes,
In mony a torrent down the snaw-broo rowes ;
While crashing ice, borne on the roaring speat.
Sweeps dams, an' mills, an' brigs, a' to the gate ;
* A noted ford, just above the Auld Brig.
t The banks of Garpal Water is one of the few places in
the West of Scotland where those fancy scaring beings, known
by the name of Ghaists^ still continue pertinaciously to inhabit.
23
THE BRIGS OF AYR
And from GUnbuck*, down to the RaUonkeyf,
Auld y4yr is just one lengthen'd, tumbling sea ;
Then down ye '11 hurl, deil nor ye never rise !
And dash the gumlic jaups up to the pouring
skies.
A lesson sadly teaching, to your cost,
That Architecture's noble art is lost !
NEW BRIG.
Fine architecture^ trowth, I needs must say't o't !
The L — d be thankit that we've tint the gate o't !
Gaunt, ghastly, ghaist-alluring edifices.
Hanging with threat'ning jut like precipices ;
O'er-arching, mouldy, gloom-inspiring coves.
Supporting roofs, fantastic, stony groves :
Windows and doors in nameless sculptures drest,
With order, symmetry, or taste unblest ;
Forms like some bedlam Statuary's dream,
The craz'd creations of misguided whim ;
Forms might be worshipp'd on the bended knee.
And still the second dread command be free,
Their likeness is not found on earth, in air, or
sea.
Mansions that would disgrace the building-taste
Of any mason reptile, bird, or beast ;
Fit only for a doited Monkish race.
Or frosty maids forsworn the dear embrace,
Or Cuifs of later times, wha held the notion.
That sullen gloom was sterling, true devotion :
* The source of the river of Ayr.
t A small landing-place above the large key.
24
THE BRIGS OF AYR
Fancies that our guid Brugh denies protection,
And soon may they expire, unblest with resur-
rection !
A U L D BRIG.
O ye, my dear-remember'd, ancient yealings.
Were ye but here to share my wounded feelings !
Ye worthy Proveses, an' mony a Bailie,
Wha in the paths o* righteousness did toil ay ;
Ye dainty Deacons, an' ye douce Conveeners,
To whom our moderns are but causey-cleaners :
Ye godly Councils wha hae blest this town ;
Ye godly Brethren o' the sacred gown,
Wha meekly gae your hurdies to the smiters ;
And (what would now be strange) ye god/y
Writers :
A' ye douce folk I've borne aboon the broo,
Were ye but here, what would ye say or do !
How would your spirits groan in deep vexation,
To see each melancholy alteration ;
And, agonising, curse the time and place
When ye begat the base, degen'rate race !
Nae langer Rev'rend Men, their country's glory,
In plain, braid Scots hold forth a plain, braid
story :
Nae langer thrifty Citizens, an' douce,
Meet owre a pint, or in the Council-house ;
But staumrel, corky-headed, graceless Gentry,
The herryment and ruin of the country ;
Men, three-parts made by Taylors and by Barbers,
Wha waste your weel-hain'd gear on d — d new
Brigs and Harbours !
25
THE BRIGS OF AYR
NEW BRIG.
Now haud you there ! for faith ye've said enough,
And muclde mair than ye can mak to through.
As for your Priesthood, I shall say but little.
Corbies and Clergy are a shot right kittle :
But, under favor o' your langer beard.
Abuse o' Magistrates might weel be spar'd ;
To liken them to your auld-warld squad,
I must needs say, comparisons are odd.
In Ayr^ Wag-wits nae mair can have a handle
To mouth * A Citizen,' a term o' scandal :
Nae mair the Council waddles down the street,
In all the pomp of ignorant conceit ;
Men wha grew wise priggin owre hops an' raisins.
Or gather'd lib'ral views in Bonds and Seisins.
If haply Knowledge, on a random tramp.
Had shor'd them with a glimmer of his lamp.
And would to Common-sense for once betray'd
them.
Plain, dull Stupidity stept kindly in to aid them.
What farther clishmaclaver might be said,
What bloody wars, if Sprites had blood to shed,
No man can tell ; but, all before their sight,
A fairy train appear'd in order bright :
Adown the glittering stream they featly danc'd ;
Bright to the moon their various dresses glanc'd :
They footed o'er the wat'ry glass so neat,
The infant ice scarce bent beneath their feet :
26
THE BRIGS OF AYR
While arts of Minstrelsy among them rung,
And soul-ennobling Bards heroic ditties sung.
O had M^Lauchlan*y thairm-inspiring Sage,
Been there to hear this heavenly band engage,
When thro' his dear Strathspeys they bore with
Highland rage ;
Or when they struck old Scotia's melting airs,
The lover's raptur'd joys or bleeding cares ;
How would his Highland lug been nobler fir'd,
And ev'n his matchless hand with finer touch
inspir'd !
No guess could tell what instrument appear'd,
But all the soul of Music's self was heard ;
Harmonious concert rung in every part,
While simple melody pour'd moving on the heart.
The Genius of the Stream in front appears,
A venerable Chief advanc'd in years ;
His hoary head with water-lilies crown'd.
His manly leg with garter tangle bound.
Next came the loveliest pair in all the ring.
Sweet Female Beauty hand in hand with Spring ;
Then, crown'd with flow'ry hay, came Rural Joy,
And Summer, with his fervid-beaming eye :
All-chearing Plenty, with her flowing horn.
Led yellow Autumn wreath'd with nodding corn;
Then Winter's time-bleach'd locks did hoary
show.
By Hospitality with cloudless brow.
Next foUow'd Courage with his martial stride.
From where the Feal wild-woody coverts hide :
* A well-known performer of Scottish music on the violin.
27
THE BRIGS OF AYR
Benevolence, with mild, benignant air,
A female form, came from the tow'rs of Stair :
Learning and Worth in equal measures trode.
From simple Catrine^ their long-lov'd abode :
Last, white-rob'd Peace, crown' d with a hazle
wreath.
To rustic Ag^riculture did bequeath
The broken, iron instruments of Death,
At sight of whom our Sprites forgat their kind-
ling wrath.
THE BRIG OF AYR
AND
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
THE idea was curiously slow to for-
mulate, and the people of Ayr were
loth to believe that the frail and
familiar structure which for centuries has
spanned their river, was in precarious condi-
tion, and imminent danger of collapse ; but
slower still, and more tardy of acceptance was
the inevitable corollary, that in virtue of its
poetic and historic associations, its archae-
ological interest, the Brig was worthy of
preservation. When, however, after often
seeming futile effort, and much opposition,
largely because of the glamour of a generous
local bequest, these ideas began to prevail ;
and, when at length they materialised, and
emerging from the Burghal, gathered suffici-
ent force and momentum to become national
in scope and range, few, if indeed any of
the efforts after a monument in honour of
29
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
Robert Burns, evoked an enthusiasm and
response so sincere and universal, as that
which had for its purpose the preservation
of the Auld Brig of Ayr.
The appeal on its behalf touched deep
chords in many hearts, in many lands ; for
the Ayr Brig is the visible expression of
much of the Poet's personality, and, with
the Brig o' Doon and the "Auld Clay
Biggin','' must ever remain one of the triple
altars in that imperishable shrine of his
worship, which, having AUoway and Ayr
for its Mecca, draws towards it the feet and
hearts of countless thousands from beyond
even the seven seas.
The Brig is also an historic structure of
note, and knew much of the bitter feuds and
strenuous life of Ayrshire. Generation after
generation of famous Scots of all ranks and de-
grees have made use of it ; English invaders
have crossed its narrow back, and foreigners
of many nationalities, — for Ayr in its earlier
days was the seaport of the West — these
all, with the honest burghers themselves and
their kinsfolk, have climbed its steep ap-
proach and worn smooth its cobble-stones,
as they spun the record of their separate
lives. Venerable in itself, and deserving of
30
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
reverence for its own sake, the Brig stands
the last remaining of the silent monuments
of the past, still serving the town in the use-
ful purpose of its building ; for which cause
alone it is worthy of much regard, and this,
even if it had never been richly dowered by
the genius of Robert Burns, or hallowed by
his personal association — its supremest as its
most enduring glory.
Across the Brig Burns oftentimes passed,
upon it he mused, from its lofty altitude,
high arched above the highest tides, his eyes
followed downward to the sea the then, save
by it, unbridged river ; and, westward from
the harbour mouth across the frith to the dis-
tant peaks of Arran, with its long low-lying
island hills. If, in a beneficent universe, hills
are ever called into being for beautiful ends
alone, then surely these were hills reared to
form a bar of purple, against those marvellous
sunsets which transform the sky into a fiery
furnace held in luminous bondage behind
deep clouds ; the sea into a pavement of crim-
son and gold, iridal with opalescent colours
wherein shadows hide, themselves fugitive
and elusive as the glistering heart of an ocean
shell, wet and radiant in its virginal beauty.
These colours, in their limpid and silent
31
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
beauty, reached shoreward from the sea, and,
carried onward by river wavelets to the
Brig's feet, overspread its surface and lit up
its brown stones with a reflected glory.
Eastward, into the cool land of the morn-
ing, with its flush of rose, its tones of pearl
and grey, the upward river, a silver mirror,
passed from sight round the wooded bends
of Craigie.
Thus and truly, the divers colours of East
and West have laid hold upon the Brig, and
the sun has fused their tones into its mason-
ry. The strong south-west winds have bit-
ten hard into it, and brought up also against
it the surge of the sea to break and be spent
in leaping spray upon its fabric ; wearing it
with the wind, to rich surface texture, each
separate and time-wrought stone to round
and softened edge. This all was open to
men's eyes, and clear as day ; but hidden
within the piers, unseen and silently in the
darkness, the receding tides with wanton
lips long sucked the lifeblood and almost
the very vitals from its massive pillars. The
river, too, quick-rising and sudden of flood,
has lifted its waves against the Brig's life,
and beaten viciously into it with ice and
plunging tree trunk ; but hardest and most
32
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
unnatural of all, man's ingratitude turned
oftentimes lightly from it
"As friend remember'd not."
and once and again, with simulated or real
forgetfulness, perchance by poverty of gear
or of mind, the Brig has been left to stand
or fall, as might betide.
Slezer's view,* dated 1693, ^"^ ^^^ ^^^~
liest pictorial record existing, shows the
river on the Ayr side seaward of the Brig,
with houses and small back lands to the
water's edge, and, nearer the sea, infrequent
and decaying walls of harbour masonry ;
while at the river's mouth and along the
northern bank are undulating links and sand-
dunes of wide extent, of which Burns' lines
depictive of the earliest Ayr are literally as
poetically true :
" Low, in a sandy valley spread,
An ancient BOROUGH rear'd her head ; "
Eastwards of the Brig, but close to it,
were in Burns' day many of the fair gardens,
for which Ayr early had a name ; those on
the southmost bank stretching in orchard
and sward, in blossom and flower, from the
clear waters' brink upward to the line of
* Theatrum Scotia,
3 33
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
old houses bordering High Street and the
Mill Vennel, the last named reminiscent
of Abbey precincts and appurtenances. In
the midst of the gardens the Auld Kirk of
the Covenant, the successor of those of
other faiths and days, then held restrictive
spiritual oversight upon the town ; its
shadeless burial-ground, not so many years
before made unlovely by the parsimonious
destruction of its trees, cut down to form
centring for the rebuilding of the Brig's
fallen northmost arch. And there, too, in
earlier days still, centuries ago from now, had
been built in faith, and in the free beauty
and meaning of the Gothic vernacular, the
neighbouring Monasteries of the Black, and
Grey Friars ; both in aftertime anger and
bitterness of spirit, to be razed to the very
ground ; none the less their gardens and
burying-places, as their churches, remain
the progenitors of those of to-day, so surely
does the past mould the present, and inexor-
ably guide its trend. These things, the Brig
saw and knew, as those others it has outlived.
But all that is of the past, and belongs to
far-away years ; and now, it is difficult enough
to realise the river of even Burns' time in the
quay-bordered and railway-ridden banks, or
34
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
the town,in the electric-power tramway-sad-
dled streets of our creating. The High Street
that in his day Robert Burns knew, with its
projecting gables and outside stairs, lissomed
with easy grace and not too rigid boundaries
downward from the Fauldbacks, till midway
at the Wallace Tower there debouched upon
it the Mill and Foul Vennels ; then passing
in close succession the Meal Market,theKirk
Port, the then lately formed New Market
Street dividing the one-time stance of the
ancient Tolbooth, the strident and virago-
tongued Fish Market at the Auld Brig end,
it bore to the left, and its sinuous length
drew on to the Sandgate and later Tolbooth,
with its " Dungeon Clock " and memorable
nineteen steps. At the junction of these
two streets, stood the old Mercat Cross of
Charles the Second's time, in the waning
glory of once beautiful masonry ; but its tall
slender stone shaft was even then surmounted
by its carven capital with thistle and rose,
harp and fleur de lis, superimposed upon
which and crowning all, was the copper
unicorn with its staff and banneret.
These all Burns knew ; but the earlier
Mercat Cross, the two Tolbooths, the Castle,
the Church of St John, the Monasteries,
35
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
the four Ports, the Town Wells and the
Brig, now alone remaining, held the history
of the town. The picturesque many storied
and gabled houses, still rose in their place,
along, and behind the streets ; but, save for
the uncertain river fords at the vennel and
close ends, the Auld Brig alone joined the
keenly jealous friendships and rivalries, of
the Old and New Towns. The beautiful
Adams Bridge came in Burns' own day; he
saw its building, and, by prophetic instinct —
some say from more prosaic data — foretold
its doom ; but how perilously near that doom
came in later years to the Auld Brig itself,
through the agency of the well-intentioned
Templeton bequest, few, if indeed any, will
ever fully know. The Brig came, it is said,
by bequest, and by a bequest some strove
frankly and strenuously, that it should go.
In a High Street shop, not far removed
from the Brig end, Robert Templeton
carried on a watch-maker's and jeweller's
business. Shortly before his death in Feb-
ruary 1879, he made a holograph will de-
vising, subject only to certain life interests,
his whole estate, in value about ^10,000,
" to the Provost and Town Council in trust in
order that their successors in office may use
36
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
the whole thereof in rebuilding the Old
Bridge of Ayr when such a thing may be
required." Ayr, of late decades, has been
offered few bequests, and its strong and in-
sistent desire to secure the money, and with
it build an entirely new bridge, is conceiv-
able upon utilitarian grounds alone. Ad-
mitting the undoubted weight of Lord
Low's opinion, that the money could only
be used for rebuilding in the generally un-
derstood meaning of the word, that opinion
did not, I feel sure, express or interpret the
intention of the testator ; for Robert Tem-
pleton was a man with the soul of an anti-
quary, and none such would make provision
for deliberate and vandal destruction ; least
of all, by an ambiguous holograph will.
The testator often showed me old silver
plate and coins, which, in his business, he
long treasured and sold with regret ; more-
over, the delight and care with which he
handled them, was that of a man who re-
vered and loved old things. The bequest so
generously conceived was fated, if not to be
brought stillborn into the world, at least
to be well-nigh strangled by the midwifery
of law ; and in its portentous existence, the
money bequeathed, not, I am convinced,
37
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
for the destruction, but for the preservation
of the Brig, became for a time the Brig's
own direst peril and most imminent danger,
and this, not even excepting its own often
precarious structural exigencies.
Throughout the centuries, the Brig has
time and again been in deep straits, at grave
hazard, and in serious disrepair.
" Wi' crazy eild I'm sair forfairn,"
is Burns' pregnant descriptive line ; and the
Burgh records contain abundant testimony
to its frequent damage and repair, even if
such were not more surely evidenced by the
fabric itself. Much money and effort, have
time and again been expended upon it with-
out seeming avail, perhaps, because of the
quick-rising and sudden spates, of ice, of
tides, or because of harbour dredging and
consequent increasing river scour incidental
to the work of our own day ; but, whatever
the cause of its frequent exigencies, it has
been left to the Scottish people of this gen-
eration to tender that outburst of fervour,
which, setting aside all controversy over the
bequest, because recognising the final danger
and imperative need, became
" Man to man, the warld o'er,"
38
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
and, hearing the call of Kinship which
makes a people instinctively one, a call
which Burns of all men could supremely
voice, they joined hand and heart and laid
their ample tribute for the preservation of
his Brig upon the Brig itself, the Poet's
noblest material shrine.
The reputed founding of the Brig of Ayr *
by the beneficence of two maiden sisters, one
of whom, Isobel Lowe, saw her lover perish
before her eyes, in the dark waters of the
often sudden and turbulent river, is a beauti-
ful birth-song ; but legend and romance
must to-day inevitably yield place to prosaic
fact, and, whatever the motive and origin,
the earliest authentic reference to the Brig,
whether it be the Brig we know, or an
earlier, is in the charter granted by Alex-
ander II. in 1236, to the Royal Burgh of
Ayr ; wherein, besides provision made for
the Town and harbour, is also ad susten-
tationem pontis. The Brig is again referred
to in the Burgh Charters (1440), and in
those of the Black Friars (1488).
In the accounts of the Lord High Treas-
urer of Scotland, under date 1 7th November
1 49 1 , is this interesting reference connect-
* Appendix B.
39
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
ing James IV. with the Brig and Town :
" Item, the XVII Nouembris, to the
massonis of the bryg off Ayre Xs " ;
from which some have inferred that the
existing Brig was then being built, just as
others have assumed an earlier date of erec-
tion, and that the Brig was then undergoing
serious repair. There is not, however, in
the foregoing item any conclusive, and bare-
ly inferential, evidence on either side, and in
the Brig itself there is little architectural
detail remaining upon which to establish,
although in general appearance the Brig
would seem to indicate a date of erection,
somewhat approximate to that of the King's
visit ; and there is this, further, that much
of its masonry, shows close resemblance to
that of those portions of Crosraguel Abbey
erected between 1480— 1490, and of later
date. On this 1491 pilgrimage to Whit-
horn, where he was on the 1 1 th November,
the young King twice passed through Ayr.
On the outward journey he was ferried a-
cross the river, the entry in the accounts
being :
** Item, to Sane Johnis Kirk, for the ferying
of horss and men ower at the water : Vs " ;
40
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
and it was upon the return journey that he
gifted silver to the Brig masons ; just as on
the 22nd of the same month he gave a sim-
ilar gift (Xs) to the " Massonis of Paysla,"
who were then working at the Abbey.
Because of this gift alone, none, however,
would contend that the Abbey was only then
being built, for all know that its foundation
dates from the 12th century, and, except
that other evidence regarding the building
of the Ayr Brig is forthcoming, the refer-
ence to it in the accounts of the Lord High
Treasurer, is too incidental to found upon
absolutely.
For a period of ninety-eight years, there
is seemingly no local reference to the Brig ;
but in 1 5 8 3 the Town Council ordained that
" na middingis nor foulzie be laid upon
ye hie calsig passand to ye brig,"
an item to its credit, for in the i6th cen-
tury towns greater than Ayr were not too
fastidiously sanitary, and the deep holes and
mud-pools of the uneven streets in wet
weather, became in dry, but infectious dust-
pits ; while the freedom with which, at all
hours, the contents of utensils were emptied
from windows, and the prevalence of " mid-
41
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
dings" at all doors, combined to produce
odours not always agreeable to sensitive ol-
factory organs, and which were themselves
moreover fruitful causes of pestilence and
plague. In the same year " Johnne Masoun
Masoun" was made burgess "for his labor
and panissusteinit" . . . " in ye doun tak-
ing of ye new work abone ye brig port."
In 1585 the "Brig port, Carrick port,
Kyle port, Sey port" were repaired against
infectious persons with "Hinging yettis and
leifis." This was the period of the "pest"
or plague, which then and for many years
devastated the country, but especially the
towns ; and the timely action of the mag-
istrates would seem to have kept from Ayr
the grim visitant. In the next year is a long
entry anent " ye repairing and mending of
ye brig port qlk is now ruinous and almaist
paistlie like to decay vnless ye same be
schortlie repairit." Accordingly, "David
Frew and Johnne Masoun, Masounis," un-
dertook " To big up the Brig qr ye same is
presentlie fallen & to mend and repair the
pilleris," receiving in return one year's "im-
post " on all goods specified "in zair gift,"
which were brought into the town by way
of the Brig.
42
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
In 1588 the Brig must again have been
in serious disrepair, for on the i oth of July
James VI., after having ordained a commis-
sion to report, made gift of certain imposts
to the town. The Commission "having senc
and considerit the estait of the harbyr sey-
port and brig," and after conference with
the " maist auncient and best experiencit
burgessis and craf tismen induellaris theirof ,"
reported that the "said harbyr hevin and
brig" and other works "ispresentUe ruynous
and safar decayit and fallen doun that gif the
samin be not remedit and helpit in tyme it
sail altogidder decay." The King therefore
granted that certain goods, passing into the
town by the harbour or Brig, be taxed for
the due upkeep thereof.
In 1592 the Town decreed that, in grati-
tude for certain favours and kindness done
to the Town by the Regent Morton, " his
Graceis armes to be vpoun ye brig vnder ye
Kingis graceis armes w^ ye townis."
In 1595 "ye bowis of ye brig y* ar ap-
perend ruynous to be reparit w* all diligence
becaus ye seasonn of ye yeir now provokis
ye samen" (14th April).
In 1 597 the drastic order went forth that
" na kynd of cartis slaidis or carries be suf-
43
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
ferit to half passage alangis ye brig " under
penalty of the destruction of the same, " w*
fyve punds of valaw " as additional punish-
ment.
King James VII. (1687), because the
Burgh had difficulty in meeting its needs
for the proper repair of the Brig, Church,
Streets, and Harbour, granted right to levy
impost on all ale or beer, and all malt brew-
ed; also upon Spanish and French wines
imported and sold in the Burgh.
To summarise, repeated entries in the
Minutes of the Town Council afford an
almost continuous record of alternate dam-
ages and repair, of which, the more note-
worthy may be briefly instanced.
On the 5th of June 1732, when apparently
hurriedly convened in Council, the Provost
reported "That the North arch of the bridge
fell yesternight." In none of the Minutes
immediately previous is mention made of
the instability of the arch ; it therefore pre-
sumably fell suddenly, from, I am inclin-
ed to think, the collapse of the northward
land abutment. A long and interesting re-
cord is given in the Council Minutes, of the
contract for rebuilding the Arch, made with
"Alexander Gray Masson in Stewarton and
44
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
Thomas Anderson Masson in Ayr," the con-
tract price being One Thousand and Nine
hundred merks Scots, " the Town to furnish
all materialls." The timber for the "Cume"
or centring of the arch was made of trees
cut from the " Kirkyeard," and the " firr
timber" of the "culm" was not sold by roup,
but retained for the "Jests and laying out of
the Lofts in the new Steeple." The Brig,
however, was still insecure, other piers show-
ed indications of weakness, and soon after-
wards the Council ordained that at low water
when the river was f ordable, the bar should
be put up at the Porch, and no carriages
allowed to cross the Brig.
In 1756 there is an entry that the pil-
lars of the Brig are to be repaired. In 1754,
that the Brig is to be repaired. In 1779
is a report on the causewaying, and in 178 i
the Brig is again in need of repair. In 1782
the Town Council had the Brig fully ex-
amined, and the three old arches were re-
ported as being insecure. Two years later a
proposal was made to widen and repair the
Brig, but this proposal was, in the follow-
ing year, set aside in favour of a new Bridge
joining the Sandgate, by way of the Water
Vennel, with the Main Street of Newton,
45
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
on the line of the old ford ; and this Bridge
the Town was in 1785 empowered by Act
of Parliament to build, the Auld Brig being
retained for foot traffic only.
The period from then intervening, has
mainly been a record of patching and re-
pair. Since so recently as from 1867—8
onward, the piers, always the weakest por-
tion of the structure, have been protected,
first by piling, then by encasing their found-
ation with concrete fenders, and lastly, in
one pier, by slight underpinning. In April
1 902, upon a report by the Burgh Surveyor,
the Council minuted their resolve, that the
piers be " instantly repaired." Mr Kennedy,
the contractor for the concurrent harbour
works, in a report to the Council almost
immediately following that of the Surveyor,
was even more frankly outspoken. In June
1 903, Mr John Eaglesham, C.E., submitted
a very exhaustive report, closing with the
ominous warning that " this work must not
be too long delayed." In September of the
same year, the Surveyor reported subsidence
of the hornising above the Southmost Arch
through the open joints of which a foot-
rule might be dropped into the river.
As the Town Council even then seemed
46
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
reluctant to take any action, I ventured in
October to bring the matter before the re-
presentatives of the First Electoral Ward ;
thereafter, by the courtesy of the Ayr press,
before the Ayr public ; and, as a record of
the inception and progress of the preserva-
tion movement, may some day be desirable,
a brief reference to it from the Town Coun-
cil minutes, and other correspondence, may
not in the meantime be without interest.
The campanile of St Mark's having then
only recently fallen, I ventured, in my letter
to the local press, after detailing recent Brig
operations, to suggest a parallel. " In both
structures subsidence of foundations, rents,
cracks, and decay were reported and con-
sidered ; and one day the campanile col-
lapsed— irretrievably. Here, happily, the
parallel ends. Our Old Bridge has his-
toric and poetic associations belonging not
to Ayr only, or to Scotland, but to a large
portion of the English-speaking world; and
it would be a matter of deep sorrow if so
ancient and valuable a monument of na-
tional life should, from any cause or reason
whatever, be allowed to perish."
As it is not easy for those who live in
intimate communion with an historic mon-
47
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
ument always to realise its value, I wrote
an article on it in one of the December
magazines, and, in the hope of further in-
fluencing the Town from without, I wrote
also to several of the Editors of the London
press, and to friends who might influence
them, notably Mr Thackeray Turner, Hon-
orary Secretary of the Society for the Pro-
tection of Ancient Buildings. His Society
cordially and at once took the matter up
with me, and, communicating with the
Town Council, their letter was published
in the November report of the Council pro-
ceedings. The wider publicity thus given,
was the keynote of all after efforts to pre-
serve the Brig, it having been at once mani-
fest that any influence, to be actively oper-
ative, must be other than local.
The Town Council was at this time un-
doubtedly wishful to do what it thought
was right, but it was also and unfortunate-
ly for itself on the horns of a dilemma,
and divided between two opinions. The
validity of the will creating the bequest
having been already contested by the Heirs-
at-Law, the Council was very naturally
anxiously cautious as to its procedure ; for,
if by its action the money should be lost to
48
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
the Town, its members feared the displeasure
of the ratepayers, and, on the other hand,
the resentment of the wider public, if the
Brig fell ; the latter an instinctive premoni-
tion curiously accurate, for, it was by the
contributions of the outside public, that the
Brig was ultimately preserved to the town.
To remove, if possible, the initial difficulty
incidental to the bequest, I saw the agents
for the Heirs-at-Law, and suggested a com-
promise, a course to which they were then
agreeable ; but the Legatees appeared dis-
inclined to entertain the proposal, and it was
not at the time carried further. Meanwhile,
to make their position clear, they raised a
judicial action in the Court of Session, a-
gainst the Heirs-at-Law and the Judicial
Factor, and, pending a decision, called in
Mr Hall Blyth, C.E., to carefully examine
and report upon the Brig. On the 25th
February 1904, Mr Blyth telegraphed thatin
his opinion the Brig was unsafe, and should
be closed. This was forthwith done, the
three southmost arches strongly centred, the
parapets barricaded, and the Brig again open-
ed to traffic. During these operations, I was
most courteously allowed to take a very ex-
haustive series of photographs of the Brig.
4 49
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
In June, Lord Low decided that the money
had vested in the Town Council, and — to
slightly anticipate — the last beneficiary hav-
ing died on the 15 th December, the capital
sum was paid over.
In November, during heavy and continu-
ous river floods, several of the centring sup-
ports were washed out to sea, and it became
desirable to at once write to the Town Coun-
cil, pointing out the serious danger to the
Brig, if repairs were longer delayed. I also
wrote to Mr Thackeray Turner, stating that
the river bed had been scoured away by the
floods, from beneath a large portion of the
south pier fender ; but, while we were arrang-
ing a series of letters to the London and Pro-
vincial press, the Town Council showed
indications of movement, and we decided in
consequence to postpone any public action,
in order that we might not in any way tra-
verse its policy or efforts.
In February 1905, the Town Council
definitely decided upon rebuilding the Brig,
in terms of Lord Low's interpretation of
the bequest, and Mr John Young the Burgh
Surveyor, Mr Eaglesham, and myself were
asked toconsiderand report accordingly; but,
as Lord Low's interpretation of rebuilding
50
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
might readily involve the destruction of the
Brig, the task was not without difficulty.
After careful examination of the Brig itself,
and exhaustive consideration, no practicable
engineering scheme being apparently forth-
coming, whereby the older and more essen-
tial portions of the fabric could be retained,
I, having reason to understand that Sir
William Arrol was sympathetically inclined
toward preservation, suggested that we ask
leave to consult him as a bridge-building
contractor of wide experience ; for, after all,
whatever engineering scheme might ulti-
mately be accepted, it would, from the very
nature of the work, rest with the contractor
to meet the varying needs and difficulties, of
each separate day and hour. Unfortunately,
however. Sir William's opinion was that the
Brig should be removed, as it was not worth
preserving; and, although I pointed out, that
this would involve the destruction of a fabric
which we wished to conserve, he was unable
to accept or apprehend its cogency. Having
failed with Sir William, I then suggested to
my colleagues that, as we seemed unable to
arrive at any satisfactory conclusion, and as
my suggestion to utilise the heavy piers and
work from within, was in their opinion im-
51
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
practicable, we ask leave to consult an emi-
nent engineering specialist in stone-bridge-
building, and submit our difficulties to him.
It was now the evening of our last meeting,
and final effort. We telephoned to the interim
Town Clerk, who, coming at once, agreed to
submit our request to his Council, but only
upon one definite and specific condition,
namely, that, to end the matter once and for
all, we would agree to accept the engineering
decision, so to be given, as final. From this,
I dissented; pointing out that the issue in-
volved was too grave to hazard upon the
decision of a possibly unsympathetic con-
sultant, and, that we must at any cost, evolve
a scheme to save the Brig, not to destroy.
After much disputation, we separated near
midnight, but my point had been gained ;
for, had the engineering decision to be given
been accepted in anticipation as final, then
there would not have been an Auld Brig to-
day. Inreality,itwasthecrisisof thestruggle,
and upon so frail a thread the existence of the
Brig indisputably hung. Mr Hall Blyth, was
the consultant appointed by the Town Coun-
cil ; we laid our views before him, and in his
report thereon to the Town Council, he re-
luctantly set aside as impossible, all idea of
52
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
preserving the fabric, and submitted instead
a highly coloured drawing of the " rebuilt "
Brig to be, showing a vividly blue river and
sky. He declared the Brig to be " twisted
from end to end and from side to side," a
literal fact ; but, he also established as a
premise, that the identity of the Brig must
be preserved, and that identity he proposed
to conserve by careful rebuilding, forgetting
that the rent and shattered stones which he
intended to take down and re-use, could only
be preserved and strengthened in situ, and
that any attempt to otherwise handle them,
must of necessity be fatal, — a fact amply evi-
denced, when the actual work was under-
taken.
At the Town Council meeting called to
consider the reports, the Burgh Surveyor
and Mr Eaglesham concurred with Mr Hall
Blyth. I ventured to dissent, and obtained
leave to record my dissent. I further sub-
mitted a statement, that to take down and
rebuild the Brig was not to preserve its
identity ; that, as an asset, the Brig was of
priceless value to Ayr ; and that the impos-
sible in engineering had not yet been reached.
Admitting the utilitarian argument, I ap-
pealed for a higher, maintaining that each
53
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
individual member of the Town Council
was the Trustee of a great national monu-
ment ; and, that until they had exhausted
every effort for preservation, the ultimate
and final responsibility for destruction must
rest upon them. I begged that they would
make one last effort, and not say to any
engineer, "Is it worth preserving?" but,
" Will you undertake the work, and give us
a reasonable prospect of success ? "
All the reports were submitted to Sir
William Arrol, who endorsed Mr Hall
Blyth's view, and the Town Council, de-
finitely deciding upon rebuilding, invited
my co-operation. Realising the nature of
the work intended, I asked for certain assur-
ances, which being refused, I also refused to
take any responsibility for work of which I
could not approve ; moreover, had I done so,
my hands would have been tied. The Town
Council having embarked upon rebuilding,
before any reconsideration of the matter
could reasonably be asked, it was essential
that an authoritative plan of preservation
should be forthcoming. I therefore again
communicated with the Society for Protec-
tion of Ancient Buildings, who generously
consulted Mr John Carruthers, an eminent
54
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
London engineer, and, from the notes which
I sent from Ayr, an outline scheme showing
that preservation was not impossible, was
duly submitted to the Town Council in June
1905, by Mr Thackeray Turner. Although
the preservation scheme so submitted was,
by the Council, relegated to "lie on the
table," its purpose had none the less been
served, for Mr Turner's letter having appear-
ed in the press report of the Council's pro-
ceedings, it reawakened public interest ; and
Mr Oswald, the Convener of the County, be-
ing then fortunately in London, there saw
the letter, and, having called upon Mr Tur-
ner, joined in the effort to preserve the Brig.
He at once wrote to Provost Allan, asking
that nothing be done to destroy the Brig till
every effort for preservation had been ex-
hausted ; and to me, generously offering to
help in any possible way. Through Mr Os-
wald followed the memorable intervention
of Lord Rosebery, whose letter at once gave
a prominence to the whole endeavour, such
as it had not before enjoyed.
The Town Council now declared its will-
ingness to consider any reasonable schemes
for preservation, and the whole question was
thus once again opened up, with the result
55
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
that Mr Carruthers, on behalf of the London
Society, visited the Brig and reported ; Mr
Francis Fox also, because of his regard for
old structures ; Mr John Strain, because of
local interest ; Mr Alexander Simpson and
Mr W. S. Wilson, the latter of whom ulti-
mately carried out the work, besides many
others. Meantime, certain of the Federated
Burns Clubs were bestirring themselves, and
indicating possible financial aid ; the annual
meeting of the Burns Federation was at hand,
and its President, ex-Provost M'Kay of Kil-
marnock, kindly invited me to attend, and
plead the cause of the Brig. At the meet-
ing a Committee was appointed, and, in due
course,a memorial was addressed to the Town
Council. It was now gradually becoming
evident that if, as a last resource, it should be
necessary to appeal to the general public for
the requisite funds, the response was likely
to be generous ; but the feeling was also ap-
parent and frankly expressed, that if public
subscriptions became inevitable, then the
greater portion of the required sum should
be raised within the Royal Burgh itself, as it
was the town of Ayr that, in a financial sense,
would almost wholly benefit by the preserva-
tion of the Brig. Unfortunately, however,
56
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
the contributions from the town of Ayr,
proved, in amount, to be almost negligible ;
and it was from the many generous sym-
pathisers, at home and abroad, that the
money required eventually came.
Although schemes for preservation had
now been formulated, the Town Council's
plans for rebuilding were still in progress
and well advanced ; and the question of the
Brig versus the bequest was not yet by any
means settled. Something, however, had
been gained, and the agitation had not been
I altogether barren ; for the Town Council,
because of the increasing interest manifested
outwith the town in favour of preservation,
became apparently more anxious to consider
the desirability of preserving the Bri g, as well
as the bequest, and once again decided to sub-
mitthematterto Sir William Arrol;thistime,
for any observations he might see fit to make,
upon the several preservative schemes now
proposed.
Sir William's opinion was not made pub-
lic, but it was in general circulation that the
schemes submitted were not by him consid-
ered practicable ; and, as the Town Council
was reticent, it was arranged that specific
questions be asked at the October Electoral
S7
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
Ward meetings, which questions elucidated,
as was anticipated, that Sir WiUiam's objec-
tion was the old one — not that the schemes
were impracticable, but, that the Brig was
not worth preserving.
Mr Turner accordingly wrote a strong
letter to The Times, and in the same month
the Town Council intimated to Mr Oswald,
Mr Turner, the Burns Federation, and my-
self that, in order to afford promoters of
preservation an opportunity of providing
the funds already indefinitely indicated, it
would delay the commencement of rebuild-
ing operations, for a period of four months.
An informal Committee of those named was
at once formed, ex-Provost M'Kay of Kil-
marnock representing, from its head-quar-
ters, the Federation ; and as it was necessary
before appealing for public funds to make
clear the position of the^i 0,000 held under
the bequest, we asked a meeting with Prov-
ost Allan before formally communicating
with the Town Council. As the outcome
of several meetings, Mr Oswald and I had
a final interview with the Provost and, with
his concurrence, on the 1 1 th November on
behalf of the Committee, I addressed a mem-
orandum to the Town Clerk, outlining a
S8
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
scheme of compromise with the Heirs-at-
Law, as a necessary preliminary to any public
appeal for funds. This memorandum, after
very considerable delay and some opposi-
tion, was submitted to Mr Clyde, K.C., the
Solicitor-General, and to Mr Wm. Hunter,
K.C., now Lord Hunter, and an Ayr man.
Meantime, in order to bring the Ayr Burns
Club into line with the Federation, it was
agreed to ask the Club to nominate a member
to serve on the Voluntary Committee, and Mr
Walter Neilson was accordingly appointed.
Although Counsel's opinion was not com-
municated to the Committee, it was generally
understood to be not unfavourable to com-
promise, but the Town Clerk precluded any
hope of compromise by formally intimating
to me his instructions that, while his Coun-
cil would be pleased to meet the members
of the Voluntary Committee, it declined at
the meeting, to allow any reference to, or dis-
cussion of the opinion of Counsel, an opinion
which it had itself in Council agreed, at our
request to ask.
After some hesitation to accept this veto,
the Committee ultimately decided to meet
with the Town Council ; having first, how-
ever, drafted heads of proposals whereby to
59
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
counter the change of front, in the hope that
these proposals might also form the basis of a
possible agreement with the Town Council.
These provided that the Town Council hav-
ing ruled out any reference to or use of the
bequest, then, in the event of the Committee
successfully appealing to the public for
^10,000, that the Brig be handed over to
the Committee for preservative operations.
Further, that as a temporary bridge would
be necessary for the convenience of the pub-
lic, it should be provided by the Town
Council. The Town Council and the Com-
mittee accordingly met, and the foregoing
proposalshavingbeen submitted to theTown
Council, and, with one or two additional
clauses, having been agreed to, they were
adjusted by the Town Clerk and myself on
the following day, signed by Mr Oswald for
the Committee, and confirmed by theTown
Council at its next statutory meeting. Why
the Town Council finally granted that which
it had previously so steadfastly refused, is a
matter for interesting conjecture ; but what-
ever the motive, the way was at last clear
for the effort of the Committee, to raise the
j^ 1 0,000 ; an effort which, from its com-
mencement many declared to be absolutely
60
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
hopeless. These, however, were the fearful
and unbelieving, who did not realise the
strength, nor understand the living and en-
during power of the mighty dead; nor were
their eyes yet opened to the truth that a
prophet is not without honour save in his
own country, and in his own house.
The whole interest now revolved round
the possibility of raising the required sum ;
and, through the kindness of a friend, widely
experienced in the methods of appealing to
and procuring money from a responsive and
generous public, it was made possible for me
to prepare a list of those from whom help
might be expected, together with the ap-
proximate sums likely to be received.
It was accordingly decided that an effort
be made to raise one half of the £ 1 0,000 pri-
vately; then to call a great public meeting,
state that one half of the money was in hand,
and ask the general public for the remaining
^5000. The Voluntary Committee was
now largely increased, and the list of possible
private subscribers allocated ; Mr Oswald
readily undertaking the larger share, and
working strenuously. At the next meeting
he intimated two contributions of ^5 00 each,
one from Sir James Coats, the other from the
61
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
Marquess of Bute ; and it is safe to say that,
but for Mr Oswald's unremitting and en-
thusiastic efforts to raise the money, it might
not have been forthcoming. So successful
was he, that by the time of the pubHc meet-
ing addressed by Lord Rosebery at Ayr on
the 26th September 1906, Mr Oswald was
able to intimate that a sum of over ^4,800
had been raised; and although he did not say
so, it was raised mainly by himself.
Lord Rosebery's speech is historic in
Burns Annals. As his letter to Mr Oswald
had first raised the Brig controversy to its
true altitude, so his great speech at Ayr
thrilled the Burns world. Its devotees had
not looked to their High Priest in vain, and
Lord Rosebery voiced for them their better
aspirations and desires. It was the first of a
trilogy ; the second followed at Edinburgh;
the third at Glasgow,* the occasion being
the inauguration of the Lord Provost's Fund,
a fund mainly due to the initiation of Dr
William Wallace, then Editor of the Glasgow
Herald. The Daily Record and Mail, the
Glasgow Evening News, the Ayr newspapers
and many others, opened their columns for
subscriptions. The Town Council of Ayr
* Appendix C.
62
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
declined to subscribe ; several, however, of
its members did so as private individuals, but
the Provost, and others, absented themselves
from Lord Rosebery*s meeting, although
it w^as an important public meeting, called
for the furtherance of the Tow^n's interest,
and the conservation of its good name.
None the less Scottish and St Andrew^s So-
cieties, abroad and at home, readily helped,
the name of Robert Burns w^as magical, and
early in the following year the Executive
Committee was able to intimate to the Town
Council, that the required^ 1 0,000 had been
raised, and that it was prepared to proceed
with the work, in terms of the agreement.
In May 1907 work was commenced up-
on the Brig, Mr Wilson being in charge of
the engineering work ; and, as I knew the
Brig well, I was asked to associate myself
with Mr Wilson and undertake the Archae-
ological work, leaving all questions affecting
stability entirely in his hands. Acceptance,
of course, involved retiral from the vice-
chairmanship of the Executive Committee,
as also from the Committee itself. Mr Wil-
son entered upon the enterprise with a very
wide experience of underpinning, and he un-
derstood to the full the delicate and arduous
63
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
nature of the preservative work before him.
As it turned out, the Brig was even more
insecure than had at first been supposed, and
the marvel is that the old structure held
together so long. Its tenacity and dourness
have indeed been great, and the Brig now
enjoys its well-earned reward.
Fortunately, this structural work was not
let out to contract, but experienced men
were employed under Mr Mitchell, an ex-
cellent engineer foreman ; and as from time
to time the peculiar nature of the work to
be done developed, so it was treated.
Beneath the Brig is a bed of brown boulder
clay, from a few inches, to i o feet in thick-
ness, with a southward dip across the river.
Below this boulder clay is a thick bed of
light fireclay, and, near the surface, gravel.
The south abutment, and its complementary
pier, are founded upon the boulder clay, the
north abutment upon fireclay almost solidi-
fied into rock, thickly interspersed with fos-
sils, and divided by several thin coal seams,
from which good coal was often taken, for use
at the Brig. The increased river scour, con-
sequent upon harbour dredging lower down
the river, had undermined, if not the piers
themselves, then at least in places their fen-
64
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
ders, to the extent of in one portion 6 feet
inward. The greatest water-flow is beneath
the south arch, where the bed of the river,
at the beginning of operations, was from 4
to 8 feet below the level of the oak cradle
foundations of the piers. These oak cradles
were formed of roughly hewn timbers, in
part squarely dressed, half checked at the
cross angles, scarf ed at the longitudinal junc-
tions, and pinned together by a number of
I -inch oak pins, securely driven home. The
timbers varied from 4 to 5 inches, to 8 to
I o inches square. The heaviest followed the
outline of the piers and cutwaters, and were
held together by lighter cross-pieces, these
again, beneath the junction of the piers and
cutwaters, being stiffened by angle struts.
This oak cradle framing had been set upon
the boulder clay, which again had been cut
into, or the cradle wedged up from it, with
oak wedges to a level surface, and upon
the timbers large irregular flat stones laid.
The spaces between these stones, as also be-
tween the cradling timbers, had been filled in
with loose stones and whin boulders, of vary-
ing sizes ; and, ks the piers rose, the hearts
inside the heavy dressed stone facing would
seem to have been similarly filled in, and
5 65
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
the interstices packed with lime run in hot.
Where this Hme was free from damp and
decay, it was found to be as hard as the
stone itself. Part of the difficulty of preser-
vation, lay in the fact that the joints of the
stone facing not having been kept tightly
pointed, water had found its way in, and
that in time, aggravated by the suction of
the falling tides, had rotted or torn away
the lime from the heart of the piers. The
cavities thus left behind the facing stones,
extended into the piers from i to 6 feet,
and upward to high-water mark ; moreover,
these cavities became in time solidly packed
with a fine deposit of river mud. So hol-
low were the piers in places immediately
above high-water mark that, while refacing
one of the cutwaters, I could on either side
of a removed stone freely insert a footrule
3 feet in one direction, and in the other, to
the extent of my arm from the elbow, with
in addition the full length of the 3-feet rod.
Each of the three piers had been often re-
faced, but none had sunk very materially,
although the northmost pier had moved at
one end nearly i o inches laterally at its base,
while the cutwater of another had sunk
several inches at its outer extremity, but in
66
THE AULD BRIG FROM THE NORTH-EAST AFTER PRESERVATIVE
OPERATIONS
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
its lower courses only. The arches, how-
ever, had suffered sorely by rain soaking
in between the roadway cobbles, and this
soaking, had gradually wasted or washed out
the lime from between the stones forming
the arches, especially towards the crown,
and these stones closing together in conse-
quence, had in two of the arches torn them,
with their spandrels, away from the cut-
waters, as much as 5 inches at the top, de-
creasing downwards towards the springing.
The outer ring of voussoirs, was conse-
quently in some places badly fractured be-
cause of unequal pressure, and the soffits of
many of the stones throughout the arches
were splintered seriously. The spandrel walls
near the top, and the parapets immediately
above, seem to have been renewed frequent-
ly, and I am inclined to believe that some
ofthestonesoftheexistingparapet,werethose
taken from the fallen north arch, which, with
part of the northmost land abutment, col-
lapsed, as already stated, in 1735. In the Min-
utes of theTown Council,there do not appear
to be any references to the removal of the
arched gateway of the Brig, shown in Slezer's
view of 1693 ; but, from the appearance of
the north-west abutment wall, and from the
67
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
facts disclosed during the excavations at the
gateway site, I am strongly inclined to the
opinion, that it was, in at least large part, car-
ried away by the fall of the northmost arch
and its immediate landward abutment.
The Brig proper consists of four beauti-
fully shaped segmental arches, each from 52
to 53 feet span, three massive piers of 15
feet in thickness, with triangular cutwaters
and heavy land abutments. It rises 27 feet
above high-water mark, and the tide fall is
9 feet. The width of the Brig footway aver-
ages 1 2 feet between the parapets, and the
steeply sloping roadways, that at the south
end between houses, gives the Brig and ap-
proaches an approximate length of over 500
feet ; but the Brig proper between the abut-
ments is 2 5 5 feet long. About the Brig there
is nothing mechanical, either in the setting-
out of the work, or in the building ; and it
hasall that indescribable charm of humanness
which is thedistinctivefeatureof all old work.
For instance, no two arches or cutwaters are
exactly similar, and the northmost arch,
the last built, is 2 feet less in height than the
others. None of the arches spring too accur-
ately from the piers, and there is that delight-
ful honesty of procedure manifested through-
68
THE HEART OF THE BRIG, SHOWING THE CONCRETE
SHAFT-HEAD AND CENTRAL SPANDREL WALL
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
out the work, showing so frankly that where
a pier and its lower arch stones had been
built 4 inches over much to one side, and the
variation discovered, the builders accepted
the fact, and laid the next arch course 4inches
back and into the true line. The very spur-
stones of the pier bases vary, and one of them
has on its upper surface a large incised heart.
Let those sympathetically conversant with
the unaffected working of the human mind
in old buildings, conjecture its why !
This, then, is the Brig we set out to handle,
the goal being to so preserve it, with all its
curves and twists and settlements, that when
the work should be completed few might
know it had been touched at all ; and more-
over, we desired that each separate move-
ment of the fabric might be preserved, and
clearly shown on its face.
And now a word about the distorted, and
much criticised south arch. The resolution
of the public meeting instructed " that all
work falling to be done shall have for its ob-
ject the preservation of the existing fabric,
as far as possible, in its entirety, and shall
interfere as little as possible with its outward
appearance, construction, or form." The
south arch, therefore, was retained, because
69
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
the Engineer was able to make it as secure
and strong in its existing shape, as it would
have been had it been taken down and rebuilt.
Further, had it been taken down, it is safe
to say that not lo per cent, of its stones
could possibly have been re-used.
Mr Wilson early recognised the possibili-
ties of the heavy piers and cutwaters, and at
once proceeded to utilise them ; but before
pitting through their middle, he required
first to ensure the stability of the arches, and
to that end the outer joints of the spandrel
wall-stones had to be securely and deeply
pointed with pure cement, to resist the great
after pressure of forced groutingfrom within.
In so pointing, I added to the cement a little
fine gravel, keeping the cement well back
from the face of each weather-beaten stone,
and bedding small pieces of old slate in the
more open joints, closely following in this
— as in all else — the original work. More-
over, in pointing, each separate stone or slate
bedding-in was separately pointed all round,
in order that the weather-beaten surface tex-
ture of the Brig might, as far as possible, be
preserved. The outer casing of the Brig
having now been made secure against the
pressure of the cement grout to be pumped
70
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
into the fabric from within, Mr Wilson pro-
ceeded with the treatment of the Brig, arch
by arch and pier by pier successively, begin-
ning at the south end. He first cut trenches
3 feet wide across the roadway, immediately
above the south abutment and its comple-
mentary pier ; these trenches were cut
through the sand fiUing-in of the arch haun-
ches and piers, strongly bratticed as they were
sunk, carried downward to the solid masonry
of the piers, and filled with concrete.
Thereafter, the sand between the old out-
er spandrel walls was removed, the interstices
between the rough upper faces of the arch
stones carefully cleaned out and filled in
with cement, and a 9-inch concrete covering
laid over all. Following this work, a longi-
tudinal central spandrel wall 2 feet 6 inches
in thickness was built of concrete on, and
along the centre line of each arch. The in-
ner joints of the outer spandrel walls having
been also picked out, were grouted with
pure cement under air-pressure of from 20
to 30 lbs. per square inch. At a much later
period in the operations, concrete jack-arches
were carried from the side to the centre span-
drel walls, thus forming a continuous con-
crete under-roadway, upon which was spread
71
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
a specially prepared impervious coating of
rock-building composition, to within i inch
of the outer edge of the parapet walls ; and,
upon this coating, a layer of sand, in which
the roadway granite setts were laid.
The Brig was now ready for the more dan-
gerous work of underpinning. Frombetween
the 3-feet transverse concrete walls already
sunk above the piers, and carried down to
their solid stonework, the sand hearting was
removed, and the old external walls grouted
under pressure ; thereafter, an 8 by 4 feet
shaft was sunk through the stone heart of
each pier, and downward through the clay,
9 feet below the oak cradles. A 12-inch
concrete floor was laid, a powerful electric
motor centrifugal pump brought into opera-
tion, and the mining beneath the piers to
their outward faces commenced. As these
mines, each roughly about 3 feet wide, were
foot by foot driven, they were strongly tim-
bered, and cement grout forced upward
through the temporary boarded roof into the
old foundations, which sometimes fell out
like a ruckle of old stones into the mine ; in
the more dilapidated piers, sometimes from
as much as 2 to 3 feet above the oak cradling,
which cradling it was unfortunately found
72
i
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
necessary to largely cut away. The under-
pinning of blue brick in cement was then
built upon a concrete foundation, and in the
brickwork several 2-inch iron pipes were laid
for dealing more easily with seeping water,
but also because through these pipes cement
grout could afterwards be forced into the in-
terior of the brick underpinning. As the
temporary timber roofs were reached they
were removed, and against the smooth face
of the cement grout previously forced in, the
brick underpinning was wedged up, and
grouted solid, under high pressure. This
procedure was afterwards successively and
successfully carried out in each of the
twenty mines or underpinning sections of
each pier, and the corresponding twelve sec-
tions of the abutments. It reflects the great-
est credit upon the Engineer, his foreman and
workers, that there was no subsidence of the
structure, not even a single crack in the outer
superstructure ; nay, more, not one of the or-
iginal cracks in the external stonework open-
ed by a fraction, save at one point in the east
cutwater of the north pier, where it was in-
finitesimal ; and it is to be remembered that
in this pier there was one large old rent 5
inches wide, and also, that into a cavity of
73
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
the pier one could work one's whole arm, up
to the elbow. As an instance of one of the
many difficulties incidental to the carrying
out of the work, from one mine in the south
pier the sinkers were driven out for nearly
three continuous weeks by the inrush of
water, which at full tide was very great ;
and even at low water the mine was nearly
always full. In several of the mines, looking
from within, one could at low water see be-
tween the Brig cradle and the boulder clay
the blue sky of heaven, so much of the river
bed had been washed away from the pier
foundations, and it was literally inch by inch
that way was made by damming out the
water till the underpinning had been com-
pleted. Often, day after day, at low water,
when the river and weather permitted, and as
one of many expedients, 2-inch boards over-
lapping, or as sheaths, were driven into the
river bed outside the piers, and the space be-
tween packed with clay, or grouted with ce-
ment; sometimes cement in bags was packed
round, and usually, as one hole was stopped,
another developed. Patience, resource, and
deliberation in the end prevailed, but there
was none the less many an anxious hour for
those in charge, and too much credit cannot
74
THE BRIG ROADWAY AFTER PRESERVATIVE OPERATIONS
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
be given to Mr Wilson, and all who worked
under him.
In May 1909, the engineering operations
were sufficiently advanced to permit a serious
beginning with the archaeological work.
The masonry of each of the three piers, from
the splayed stone base upward to nearly the
corbel springer of the arches, had been at
various times refaced with stone or brick-
work. It was mainly patchwork, and the
regular courses of the original work had been
wholly ignored. Moreover, many of the later
facing stones had not been properly bonded
into the masonry of the piers. The west nose
of the south cutwater had, in its lower
courses, sunk about 5 inches, and the space
between the oversailing upper courses which
had remained in position, filled in with stone
patching and Roman cement. Upon remov-
ing the fractured stones, a deposit of fine
river mud was seen to penetrate for a dis-
tance of 2 or 3 feet inward, in one pier as
much as 6 feet, and this mud deposit with the
rotted lime had effectually checked the flow
of cement grout, driven under pressure, from
within the piers. Structurally, therefore, it
was necessary to clear away all such mud, rot-
ted lime, and fractured facing-stones wher-
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
ever found ; and as the latter were almost
wholly new, and practically only patchwork,
they were archseologically valueless. After
rebuilding with brick and cement, outward
from the solid portion of the piers to the new
stone facings, which were built on the orig-
inal lines, and using therein any old stones
found, the whole was grouted with cement
under high pressure ; and in order to follow
and ascertain the rise and movement of the
cement within the piers, open joints were
left between certain of the facing-stones, and
closed as the cement rose. When the cement
had sufficiently consolidated, fresh grout at
full pressure was forced in, to make up any
space lost by consolidation, also to wedge
hard against all upper work, and solidly fill
in all open spaces. After the piers, the abut-
ments were similarly treated.
The fractured portions of the outer ring of
voussoirs were then cut out, from never less
than 9 inches to the extent of fracture, and
new stones of identical size were inserted and
clamped to the old by lead dowels run into the
intersections; a V channel was also cut along
the top of the stones, through which chan-
nel liquid cement was pumped in, thus
solidly binding all new and old work to-
76
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
gether. The spandrel walls, where loosened
from their backing, were treated in a some-
what similar fashion. When, within com-
paratively recent years, the roadway level
was altered, and straightened from the old
curvatures caused by the movement of the
arches, the original side gutter channeling
was then also broken ofF, or torn out from
beneath the parapet ; thus materially de-
creasing its stability. The joints were badly
worn,and so seriously decayed, that at the Ayr
end the east parapet overhung outward near-
ly 9 inches. The footings and walls therefore,
required rebuilding, so the old side guttering
and gargoyles were renewed, and the para-
pets carefully taken down in short lengths
and rebuilt against standardised rods, to their
old lateral curvature. A 2-inch joggle chan-
nel was cut in the beds and joints of each
old stone, and grouted with cement, and all
possible old stones were re-used. Where
old stones were very much worn away, the
joints were bedded in with hard red tiles
pointed with cement, so that the old work
might be readily distinguishable from the
new; but the pointing was done different-
ly from that of the outside walls, because
weatherworn joints were here forbidden,
n
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
and the wall surfaces had to be kept as even
as possible. For this reason all cement
joints were made V-shaped, the apex being
of course outward. Unfortunately, from
an archaeological standpoint, cobble-stones
were prohibited in the roadway, but small
rough granite setts, with wide joints, were
used, in order to repeat as far as possible
the texture and scale of the parapet walls;
upon which were placed five wrought-iron
lamp standards, made in the same fashion
as the one old lamp, also replaced in posi-
tion. The excavations at the north end of the
Brig, disclosed an early roadway of cobble-
stones and roughly-built guttering, from
12 to 1 8 inches lower than the present
roadway, and with a more steeply inclined
slope. The lower walls of the old tri-
angular toll- or guard-house, were also ex-
posed; and it may be noted that this cham-
ber, with its deep foundation walls all the
way up, was built against, and not with, the
earlier abutment wall of the Brig. The
east foundation of the arched gateway was
followed downward for over i o feet, without
reaching its bottom, but the correspond-
ing west foundation had altogether disap-
peared. All these remaining portions of old
78
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
work have been carefully preserved, exact-
ly as found ; and, for their better protection,
enclosed by an iron railing. In the Brig
parapets have been retained the square holes
in the wall stones and copes, wherein rested
the later toll-beams or barriers. As little as
possible of the original work of the Brig
has been touched, and any new work, or in-
sertions essential for its maintenance, have
followed as closely as modern work may, the
lines of the old. Several masons' marks were
found, and of each a careful impression was
taken, and the results afterwards tabulated.
It was difficult at first toibreak the masons,
working on the Brig, from these character-
istics of modern work, impersonally hewn
stones, and mechanically plumb and level
building. The old curves and twists of the
Brig soon, however, made their power felt,
and the workmen gradually found that there
was more beauty in the old slightly camb-
ered and full line, than in the one absolutely
straight, from start to finish. Taken all
round, they were an excellent lot of men ;
and when once they realised that preserva-
tive operations cannot be pushed or worked
out as is a contract job, they settled down
to the order of things wherein craftsmen, and
79
THE BRIG OF AYR AND
not merely operatives, are required ; very
many taking a deep interest in the pro-
ceedings.
Now that the work is completely finished,
the retrospect is not unsatisfactory, although
there is little doubt, that, in the town of Ayr,
the preservation of the Brig does not com-
mend itself to many. In origin and essence
it is based largly upon sentiment, upon
historic reverence, and archaeological re-
gard.
It did not, and does not, appeal to utilitar-
ian instincts ; and whatever of material value
it may hold, belongs of necessity to other
generations, when men shall more clearly see,
and understand also, its intrinsic worth.
But for one or two staunch friends of the
Brig in the Town Council, the work, at least
in its initial stages, would probably never
have been carried through; and in Mr J. B.
Ferguson of Balgarth, then a Councillor, the
Brig found a warm and fitting friend, for his
interests are largely centred in AUoway, and
his home for long Doonholm, where William
Burness worked as gardener ; and, on near land
was built the "Auld Clay Biggin', " wherein
the poet was born. Then, was not the first
man who ever offered me local help and en-
80
SOMETHING OF ITS STORY
couragement in the earliest days of the en-
deavour, when help was sorely needed, also
of an old Ayrshire family, the representative
and lineal descendant of one whom Scotsmen
must ever revere ; the Patriot who held for
Scotland her freedom, who first gave to her
consciousness of national life, who won the
Battle of Stirling Bridge, and burnt the Barns
of Ayr ? Mr H. R. Wallace of Busby, stood
strongly for the Brig, from the very first day ;
and at the very outset of the enterprise, long
before subscriptions were even thought of,
he, possibly foreseeing the ultimate neces-
sity, generously offered a contribution of
^25 should it be required.
Living on the Brig practically at all hours,
and in all weathers, wondering over and
dreaming of it often, the thought ever up-
permost in my mind was. What did the
shade of Robert Burns think of it all ? I
recalled his marvellous insight into the
human mind, his terrible perceptive power
shredding act from motive, his trenchant
words, his humour and generous thoughts;
and, I wondered what he would say to the
workers on the Brig, to his fellow-towns-
men, to the Brig Committee and to its Chair
man, so unsparing of himself; but most of
6 81
THE BRIG OF AYR
all to the Knight of Dalmeny? I could
imagine the two men meeting on the crown
of the Brig causeway, gripping hands, and
looking deep into each other's eyes. What
would they see, and what say! They are
both men — and one something over.
APPENDIX
THE Auld Brig of Ayr was reopened by
the Right Honourable the Earl of Rose-
bery, K.G., K.T., on the 29th of July
1 9 10. At the Brig the Provost of Ayr said,
"Ayr has been given the sobriquet of 'The Auld
Toon.' She would have forfeited her right to
such a title had she allowed her Auld Brig to be
demolished. We love the Auld Brig for itself as
well as for its associations. We must protect and
preserve those relics of the long-past ages, as there
are sermons in Art as well as in Nature. Senti-
ment must not always be swept aside by utility. It
is important that the future may read the records of
the past. We are here to-day to congratulate our-
selves on having successfully negotiated the last
fence in connection with the Auld Brig, this 'ghaist
alluring edifice' as Burns has called it, 'whose wrink-
led arches' we can see to-day have been maintained,
partly by preserving, partly by restoring, and part-
ly by rebuilding. The preserving and restoring
have been done at the expense of a very widely scat-
tered company of loyal Scotsmen and admirers of
our national bard, who look upon this Brig as the
finest monument we have to his memory."
Lord Rosebery briefly replied, " I congratulate
Ayr not merely on a great restoration, but on the
prevention of a great desecration. It was with in-
credulity and with horror that the great mass of
Burns worshippers throughout the world heard
that there was any idea under any circumstances
of tampering with this immemorial bridge. For-
6* 83
APPENDIX A
tunately, owing to the enterprise and energy
mainly of Mr Oswald and Mr Morris, that de-
secration has been averted, and I think we may
hope and believe that as long as the poet's works
live, so long will the Auld Brig of Ayr stand as
a testimony to him for ever."
At the Town Hall, and immediately following
the reopening ceremony at the Brig, the Freedom
of the Burgh was presented to Lord Rosebery and
Mr Oswald. In the course of his speech his Lord-
ship, in commenting upon the intolerance of the
Church of Burns' day, said, " His," Burns', "great
horror was of anything which savoured of hypo-
crisy and cant, but what he had mainly in his mind
then was religious hypocrisy and religious cant.
Cant survives, though religious hypocrisy and
cant are but little in fashion now. They do not
pay as they did then. But are we quite sure that
in avoiding one kind of cant we are absolutely
free from any other ? Are we absolutely certain
that our characters in these days are as free from
cant as Burns wished them to be } There are a
thousand forms of cant which form the dry rot of
our country. It is not my task to-day to point
them out. I might introduce division where I
only wish to leave a united Ayr behind me. I do
ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to apply yourselves
the touchstone of Burns' diatribes against cant,
and I prophesy for you that you will find your-
selves none the worse for it. Now, Mr Provost,
I must apologise for having detained you so long,
but when one is given the freedom of Ayr one can-
not but touch upon Burns, and when one touches
84
APPENDIX A
upon Burns one cannot well check oneself. As I
have said before, I am quite aware that you are
only giving us this freedom to-day because we are
living admirers of Burns, and because you cannot
give it to the dead man himself. To speak the
honest truth. Burns never seems dead to me. Of
all dead men he is the most living to me, much
more living than many men who to-day are alive.
I know no man who has impressed his individu-
ality and his vitality so strongly on his fellow-
creatures as this man who was born here 1 50 years
ago. His blood still courses warm and strong
through the veins of Scotland. His spirit is
abroad in all our country, and from our country
it has passed over the world ; but its home, its
original source, its favourite region is this county
of Ayr, and I trust that in the long days to come,
when people remember with shame and almost
with terror there was once a risk of the Old Brig
being demolished, they will also remember in turn
their responsibility, that the connection between
Burns and Ayr is indissoluble and eternal."
On the afternoon of the day of the reopening, the
Town Council caused to be placed on the parapet
of the Brig a bronze tablet with this inscription: —
THE AULD BRIG OF AYR
ERECTED IN THE I3TH CENTURY
PRESERVATION WORK I907-IO
REOPENED BY LORD ROSEBERY
29TH JULY I9IO
JAMES S. HUNTER
PROVOST OF THE BURGH OF AYR
85
APPENDIX A
The Preservation Committee on the 9th June
1 9 1 1 placed another bronze tablet by its side,
which records —
IN ADMIRATION OF
ROBERT BURNS
AND HIS IMMORTAL POEM
THE BRIGS OF AYR
THIS BRIG WAS DURING I907-IO
RESTORED BY SUBSCRIPTIONS
RECEIVED FROM ALL PARTS
OF THE WORLD
R. A. OSWALD, CHAIRMAN OF
THE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
It is unfortunate that neither of the tablets
are quite happily phrased, for while the one might
readily convey to future generations that the
work of preservation had been carried out by the
Town Council ; the other might also, and without
hypercriticism, be held to imply that those who
worked for or gave of their means toward the
preservation of the Brig, were actuated merely by
" admiration " of the poet, rather than by the
deeper and more enduring sentiments of rever-
ence and veneration. The noun implies less than
the truth, and the inscription fails to recognise,
or altogether ignores the devotion and even love
which many of those who shared in the enter-
prise, bear in their heart for Robert Burns.
APPENDIX B
THIS tradition has survived in at least two
forms. The first, that the lover was a
knight, drowned while crossing the river
to the Ayr side ; the second, that the sisters were
enamoured of two monks from one of the Ayr
monasteries, who, in fording the river from the
Ayr side to the Castle of the New Town, met
the same untoward fate. As indicating the per-
tinacity with which tradition survives, an old man
recently told me he remembered the arched gate-
way of Newton Castle, through which, he stated
it had long been said, these monks commonly
passed.
Except as very vague and now almost forgotten
traditions, these, as many of the uncertain happen-
ings of the past, are rarely reliable in detail, al-
though in circumstance often indisputable. In
this case the second story is the more unlikely,
not in practice but in sequence, for while the
earliest known reference to the Brig is in 1236,
it does not follow that the Brig was only then
built ; and one must not forget that the first of
the two larger monasteries on the Ayr bank, that
of the Dominican or Black Friars, was built but
six years prior to the date named. Whether, then,
it was a lover or lovers who essayed to ford the
river, and whether soldier or priest, is of little
moment to-day. The human element is always
87
APPENDIX B
as ever the essential factor and real interest, and
the music of the song that remains clear and
dominant centres round the circumstance that a
devoted lover was by the river bereft of life, and
in this tradition, or legend or tale, a tale as old
as man and belonging to all ages, the Brig found
its reputed origin and being.
APPENDIX
THE following postscript from a letter
which I received from Lord Rosebery a
few weeks ago, is of interest psychologi-
cally as evidence, if not of fact, then at least of
the power which sincerity and eloquence may
exert upon a sympathetic and perhaps imagin-
ative mind.
" P.S. — Since writing the above, I have been
looking at the book, and a recollection comes
across me that may be of interest to you.
" After my speech at Glasgow for the Brig of
Ayr, I received a letter from a stranger saying that
he had been present at the meeting with his son,
and that while I had been speaking he had dis-
tinctly seen the form of Robert Burns standing
behind me, or walking in behind me as I was
speaking, as I described him in my speech.
" I do not know who the man was, and give the
story for what it is worth, but I think it is in-
teresting."
PRINTBO BV
NBILL AND COMPANY, LIMITED,
BOINBUKCH.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
Los Angeles
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