Kilmarnock Cross
Kilmarnock Cross is a public square in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. In Rambles Around Kilmarnock Archibald R Adamson described it as "most spacious, although of a most peculiar form, having no less than seven streets branching off it. In the centre stands a marble statue of Sir [James Shaw, 1st Baronet|Sir James Shaw], who rose from a humble position to that of Lord Mayor of London", the square is part of the area nicknamed "the town" by locals.
The seven streets were Portland Street, Fore Street, Regent Street, Duke Street, Waterloo Street, King Street and Bank Street, and just north of Bank Street, but opening more on to Portland Street than the Cross itself, Croft Street. The heavy traffic in the town led to redevelopments in the 1970s which saw all traffic through this area of the town being stopped completely.
History
Kilmarnock Cross is the recognised centre of the town of Kilmarnock and was the site to the original marketplace and the old gallows, however, it is speculated that it would only come into use once the Covenanters were executed. The town of Kilmarnock grew from the cross with six different streets departing from it in six directions which saw the cross become a busy junction. In order to try and control traffic flow around the area, several methods were used, including a roundabout at one point. In 1975, Kilmarnock Cross was permanently closed to all traffic and later became a pedestrianised area.A complete redevelopment of the town in the 1970s saw some of the streets demolished, including Duke Street, Fore Street, Regent Street and Waterloo Street. Shops were built along the line of Fore Street's northern end becoming the Foregate, the Burns shopping mall covering the old Duke Street area, and the bus station and a multi-storey car park replaced the Regent Street area.