laight

John Logan of Knockshinnoch and Laight

John Logan and his wife Martha McAdam and their two sons moved from their house at nearby Knockshinnoch to Laight in 1782, where seven other children would be born over the next fifteen years. It was during the early years at Laight that Logan would first make his acquaintance with Robert Burns, although where and when this happened 'remains a mystery'. (CJ Rollie).

Logan played his part in gathering subscriptions for the 'Kilmarnock Edition' of Scotch Poems, and Burns thanks him from 'promoting my subscription' in a letter to Logan dated 10th August 1786. Two years later in 1788, Burns would visit Laight to meet with the Logans. New Cumnock had become a convenient stopping-off point for Burns as he travelled back and forth between Mauchline and Ellisland, where he was working to set up a the family home. There is no record of Burns staying overnight during his visits to Laight, preferring local Inn-life perhaps to imposing on the Logans and their crowded-house.

One local tradition suggests that following a visit to Laight he headed straight to his room in the local Inn and composed 'Sweet Afton'. He may never have stayed at Laight but he did leave his mark on one of the windows where he inscribed the initials 'J.L' and the name 'S.Logan' in honour of John Logan and his young daughter Susan perhaps.

ROBERT BURNS

A year later and Burns and his family were settled in their new home at Ellisland. No more need for regular trips back to Mauchline and therefore less opportunity to pass through New Cumnock. However, the Bard continued to correspond with his friend Logan and in a letter to him dated 7th August 1789 alerted Logan of his intentions ' I am going to intrude on your time with a long Ballad. - I have, as you will shortly see, finished 'The KIRK'S ALARM'. In his letter, Burns also expressed his wish to keep this work from the public domain. Little wonder since it was a fearsome satirical attack on the Calvinistic attitude that prevailed at that time and lampooned a number of Ayrshire's clergy, including the Reverend James Young of New Cumnock. There was no love lost between Burns and the Kirk and even less so between Logan and Young , the minister having refused to baptise his sister's child. ( See Auld Kirkyard). Burns's rewarded John Logan's trust and friendship with one of the two presentation stanzas that now accompany 'The Kirk's Alarm' which thankfully has long since 'get into the Publick'.