The haunting and tragic story behind Kilmarnock's stunning new town centre mural

dailyrecord.co.uk:

New life has been breathed into Kilmarnock town centre following the installation of a huge mural.The giant gable-end artwork towers over the newly-created green space dubbed St Marnock Square where a series of shops, including Mothercare, used to be housed.Demure and forlorn, the lady in red clutching a black parasol painted by local artist Tom Lightbody has intrigued and delighted many since it was put in place.But not many people know the truly tragic tale behind the new larger than life installation.Celebrate Kilmarnock, who commissioned Tom to carry out the work, say the woman is an interpretation of the Countess of Kilmarnock — Lady Anne Livingston Boyd.Lady Boyd was married to William Boyd, the 4th Earl of Kilmarnock.

The couple lived in Kilmarnock House, now St Marnock Street car park, a stone's throw away from the mural site.In 1746, the Earl and Countess had extensive gardens — now the Howard Park — to the south of Kilmarnock House.

St. Marnock Street did not exist then.The Earl of Kilmarnock sided with Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite Rebellion, and as colonel in the Horse Grenadiers, he was indebted to his wife during the battle of Falkirk Muir (17/1/1746) for deliberately delaying the opposition general at a lunch, therefore ensuring he was late for the conflict and unable to gain victory for the government.Three months later the battle at Culloden took place with disastrous consequences for the Jacobite cause.The earl of Kilmarnock was captured and taken to the Tower of London and beheaded.During the Earl’s imprisonment, execution and thereafter, the Countess would take long grief-stricken walks in her garden — now the Howard Park.Sadly, Lady Boyd died broken-hearted less than a year later.This is