|The graveyard surrounds the church on all sides and runs down to the river bank from which it is separated by a low stone wall. On its other sides the walls are higher, and those on the north and south
have large memorials, taken from the pre-1774 building and dating back to pre-Reformation times, with protruding tops built into them.While here and there in the churchyard a tombstone may be found with a date about as old as the Reformation, or an undated stone of an earlier date, it is to be remembered that, although it is a common practice today for people to erect a memorial stone, this is a comparitively modern custom and the right of doing so was at one time disallowed.
There are almost 1500 memorial stones arranged in neat rows, and shaped as obelisks,
The graveyard is well kept by North Ayrshire Council with short grass and neat paths.
The skull and crossbones of older sculptured stones can be found around the old graveyard, and the curious inscription, “Hier lyes ye corps,” is a common one (Here lies the corpse). Many ancient insignia of the old-time Crafts are also to be seen, bakers, masons and weavers.
Inscriptions from some memorials
On one face:
After short but active service in the cause of the Redeemer and the extension of His Kirk in Halfway District.
William Cunningham Rector of Grammar School of Irvine who died on 17th August 1766 in the 70th year of his age.
Sacred to the memory of Joseph McPhail Snr aged 45 years, Joseph McPhail Jnr aged 13 years, Roderick
David Dickie for 32 years General Goods Manager of the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company. Born at Irvine on 6th November 1822 and died on 21st March 1885. Also interred is his wife Mary Johnston who was born at Irvine on 31st January 1837 and died in Glasgow on 23rd August 1896.