Kirkmichael

Kirkmichael (Gaelic: Cille Mhìcheil, "the church of St. Michael") is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland, located between Patna, Maybole and Straiton. It was also a Civil Parish.

The village

Kirkmichael lies three miles east of Maybole and started life as the focus of a well populated rural parish served by its church. Today it is a largely white harled small village set amid the rolling hills of South Ayrshire, a ten-mile drive south of central Ayr.

Its origins date back to the 13th century when John de Gemmelstoun founded a church beside the Dyrock Burn here, which he dedicated to St. Michael. For much of its early life the village was called Kirkmichael of Gemilston, after its founder, but the name was eventually simplified.

The village church dates back to 1787 and is a fairly typical T-plan design intended to provide a large number of seats within a fairly small space, all exposed to the full force of the preacher's oratory.

The surrounding churchyard reflects its much greater age, though the attractive lich gate leading to it only dates back to 1702, according to the inscription on its bell. The lich gate was intended to accommodate mourners at funerals.