The first Church built in Maybole stood in the church-yard. It was founded in 1193, and was dedicated, as the fashion then was, to St. Cuthbert, the famous Scottish saint, whose body now lies in Durham Cathedral. It was, of course, a Roman Catholic Church, and was a gift to the parish froth the Earl of Carrick, who lived at Turnberry Castle. The same Earl also founded the Church of Kirkbride near Dunure, which was dedicated to St. Bridgid, the female Apostle of Ireland. Of that Church, nought is now left but the churchyard. Our next Church was the Collegiate one, which still stands in ruins at the foot of John Knox Street. It was built in 1371 by Sir John Kennedy of Dunure, and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Several smaller chapels were also built throughout the parish in early times, one having stood near Auchendraue, but every vestige of these has now disappeared.

Our old Parish Churches seem never to have been very substantial buildings, as we always find them mentioned as being either under repair or being rebuilt. In the Rev. James Bonar's days (about 1644) the Parish School stood in the churchyard alongside of the church, and so stingy were the heritors, that the minister had to erect an additional aisle to the church at his own expense. While in Dr Wright's days (about 1806) the church was so ruinous that the people would not go into it, but worshipped for two years in the churchyard outside! At last, in 1809, the present Parish Church was built, outside of the churchyard altogether.

The old United Presbyterian Church in John Knox Street was built in 1797, and contained 555 sittings. But neither the situation nor the building proving convenient, the present neat edifice in Culzean Road was erected in 1880, with 400 sittings. The West Church was built in 1842. It was in answer to the call of Dr Chalmers and others for church extension, and was the gift principally of the late Sir Charles Fergusson of Kilkerran. The endowment of the church was accomplished chiefly at the cost of his son, Sir James Fergusson. It contains 640 sittings. The Free Church in Barns Road was built in 1844, and contains 950 sittings. At one time, it was proposed to have a burying ground attached to it, but this idea was abandoned after a solitary interment. Beside these, there is a small Episcopal Church, a very handsome Roman Catholic Church, a Methodist Chapel, an Evangelistic Hall, and a meeting place for the "Brethren"; so that Maybole is pretty well furnished with church accommodation.

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