The
15th Century old Brig O Doon was made famous by the poet Robert Burns
tale of Tam O Shanter. The poem tells of a local in the area that
was returning from a day at the market in old Ayr. After having a
few drinks, he passes by Alloway’s haunted Old Kirk (church)
and stumbles across witches. In his desperate attempt to escape, he
rides his grey mare Meg across this bridge hoping the witches would
be reluctant to cross the water. Although Tam escapes their clutches,
Meg looses her tail to the grasp of a witches hand. |
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Left
is a view from the old Brig O Doon looking towards the new bridge
and Brig O Doon Hotel gardens.The new Brig O Doon was completed in
1816 to replace the Auld Brig as the main route into Alloway. The
Burns Monument designed by Thomas Hamilton seen to the right of the
hotel was completed in 1823 with the gardens opening to the public
on the 4th July of that year. The gardens also contain statues of
Tam O Shanter and Souter Johnnie. About 50,000 people visit the gardens
each year. |
The
Auld Kirk built in 1516 is where Robert Burns had his father buried.
The headstone as seen right is not the original as damage by souvenir
hunters meant it had to be replaced. Alloway Parish Church built in
1858 is situated directly across the road from this ruin. |
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Behind
the Alloway Parish Church is the Tam O Shanter Experience. This modern
visitor centre with large car park has a licensed restaurant, gift
shop and laser disc technology and theatrical affects that bring Burns
best loved tale of Tam O Shanter to life. Opening times 09.30 - 17.30
April - October and 10.00 - 17.00 November - March. An admission charge
to the theatre is - £1.50 adults / 75p children. A one-pound
token can be purchased from the centre to allow access to the gardens
containing the Burns Monument. |
After returning
to Alloway Main Street, about one quarter of a mile farther on you
reach Burns Cottage with parking to the rear and the museum next to
the cottage. William Burness built this cottage in 1757. Burness had
moved from Kincardineshire to Alloway in 1750 to work as a gardener
in the neighbouring Doonholm Estate. |
Robert
Burness was the first of seven children born to William Burness and
his wife Agnes Broun in the cottage January 25th 1759. In time, their
eldest son became Scotland’s most famous poet. Robert Burns
has remained a favourite of the Scottish people as his life saw him
stay in many parts of the country. This means there are buildings
and monuments throughout Scotland that have been preserved in his
name and become part of Scotland’s history. Also, he was the
father of 12 children to 4 different women; this also adds interest
to his life. |
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The Burness family
left the cottage in 1765 to take up a 12-year lease of the nearby farm
‘Mount Oliphant’. From there, Robert Burness attended a small
school in Alloway. By 1777, the family had taken up a lease of Lochlea
farm in the parish of Tarbolton. William Burness died at Lochlea in February
1784 leaving Robert as the head of the family. Robert and his brother
Gilbert then rented Mossgiel farm at Mauchline a few months later. Over
the following four years at Mauchline, Robert Burness was married and
the first of his children were born. He wrote some of his finest works
at that time and began earning a small income from their sales. It is
thought he changed his name to Burns during that period. In 1786, he moved
to the farm of Ellisland in the parish of Dumfries. By 1791, he had taken
up residence in Dumfries itself and lived there until his death from consumption
July 21st 1796. He was buried in St Michael’s churchyard Dumfries
on the day his wife Jean was giving birth to their ninth child. Burns
Night is an annual celebration held throughout Scotland on January 25th,
the anniversary of his birth.
The Burns Museum is open from 09.30 - 1730 April - October and
10.00 - 1700 November - March. Admission charges are - adults £3
/ children £1.50.
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Guided tours of Alloway and Ayr by Donald Kay
focus on Robert Burns old haunts. Visit these historic places
and learn how they inspired Burns to write some of his most
memorable works. For more information, visit the website www.walkaboutayr.com
Phone: 00 44 (0)1292 287765
Mobile: 07867 510 165
Email: donald@walkaboutayr.com |
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Right, Souter Johnnie’s cottage
is situated on the main street in the small village of Kirkoswald
approximately ten miles south of Ayr. This cottage built in 1785
was the home of John Davidson the local souter (Scots for shoemaker).
Davidson became the character Johnnie Souter who was Tam’s
drinking partner in Burns famous poem Tam O Shanter. |
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Burns got to
know Davidson when at sixteen years old; he spent the summer of 1775
at a school in Kirkoswald learning mathematics. The cottage now owned
by the National Trust for Scotland is open to the public from April
1st - September 30th 11.30 - 17.00, admission £2.50 adults £1
children. The cottage contains period furniture, Burns relics, a souters
workshop and alehouse. The alehouse has life-sized figures of Tam
O Shanter, Souter, the Innkeeper and his wife. See also Mauchline
for more on Robert Burns. |
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