As far back as the 16th century, the site has been home to a Meal Market – where grains such as wheat and barley were traded by local farmers.
Download a pdf booklet to view the illustrated stories and map locations of the Shadows of the Past trail.
The Grain Exchange, or The Corn Exchange as it was once known, sits on the site of Ayr’s old Meal Market where grains such as wheat and barley were traded by local farmers. It is known that merchants came from far and wide to sample grains as early as the 16th century, though an exact date is hard to find. In 1843, the impressive structure you see before you replaced the old market and provided space for the Clydesdale Bank and, in more recent times, a nightclub by the name of ‘Suburbia’. Looking at the beautifully restored building today, it is hard to believe it lay idle and dilapidated for long periods of time.
In 2019, after a £1million regeneration project, The Grain Exchange, named in honour of its heritage, was restored to its former glory. Since then, the building has operated as a multipurpose market and creative hub, giving artists the opportunity to sell their beautiful creations and offer workshops to the public. In addition to this, the site is one of adoration for those that pass by on Ayr High Street.
Concrete poem – An arrangement of linguistic elements in which the layout of the words is more important in conveying meaning than the words along. Historically, however, concrete poetry has developed from a long tradition of shaped or patterned poems in which the words are arranged in such a way as to depict their subject.
Written by: Annaliese Rose Broughton
Illustrations by: Toria Cassidy
Audio by: Elisha Bennison, Rebecca McCallum Stapley, Gregor Campbell, Liam Stewart & Ben Niven
Audio recording and mixing by: Scott Andrew
