A day out in Alloway

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Robert Burns’ Birthplace Map

Robert Burns (1759-1796) is widely regarded as Scotland’s national poet, or Bard, and is celebrated worldwide – if you know nothing else of his work you will surely have sung Auld Lang Syne at New Year. Many years ago we visited the cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire, where he was born, but to our shame we haven’t returned since it became part of the “new” (2009!) Robert Burns Birthplace Museum run by the National Trust for Scotland. A recent series of posts on Photos by Jez inspired us to put that right last week. Thanks Jez!

Forgive the rather creased looking plan at the top of the post – it spent a long time in my back pocket! I’ve included a scan because it helps to make sense of the site and I couldn’t find it online. I’ll deal with the sections in the order in which we visited them.

Burns Museum

Selkirk Grace

We were impressed with the modern museum building and the exhibits themselves. What really surprised us was how much material has survived, particularly the handwritten manuscripts, many of which have recently been made available online. Burns quotes are painted on the walls – appropriately, the Selkirk Grace appears just outside the café. In case you were wondering, we had both morning coffee and lunch there and can report that it is very good.

Burns Monument and Gardens

Burns Monument and Gardens

This is where Burns tourism started! A 21m (70ft) high Grecian-style temple, designed by Sir Thomas Hamilton Junior and complete with nine pillars representing muses from Greek mythology, was funded by subscriptions and opened in 1823.

Burns Monument glimpsed from the gardens
Burns Monument
Door to the stairs to the top of Burns Monument
View from the top of Burns Monument – Brig O’Doon
One of the pillars surrounding Burns Monument

Brig O’ Doon

Brig O’ Doon Tavern – the bridge itself is just visible on the left

This bridge over the River Doon dates from the 1400s and has twice been saved from demolition because of its connections to Burns who used it in two of his works, The Banks o’ Doon and Tam o’ Shanter. In one of the views taken from its span (and, oh, those cobbles, were hard to walk upon) the monument can be glimpsed top right.

Brig o’ Doon
View from Brig o’ Doon
View from Brig o’ Doon

Alloway Auld Kirk

Alloway Auld Kirk

The 16th century Auld Kirk, already a ruin in Burns’ time, also features in Tam o’ Shanter. Burns’ father is buried here: the epitaph on the back of his headstone was composed by the Bard himself.

Grave of Robert Burns’ father
Grave of Robert Burns’ father

Many of the other grave stones were intricately carved.

Carved stone, Alloway Auld Kirk
Carved stone, Alloway Auld Kirk

Across from the Auld Kirk is the current church. I was amused by the street sign – Auld Nick’s View!

Alloway Parish Church
Auld Nick’s View, Alloway

The church was open so we went in. Even the porch was lovely with a mosaic floor, carved heads above the door and two beautiful little stained glass windows.

Mosaic porch floor
Carved head above porch door
Carved head above porch door
Porch window
Porch window

The windows inside were even more stunning. At the east and west ends there were traditional 19th century windows.

Altar and East End Houldsworth window
West End window (1858) in memory of Charlotte Baird,

What really caught our eye were the more modern windows, three of which by Susan Bradbury are shown below. We were so glad we had taken the opportunity to look around.

Burns Memorial Window (1996)
Four Seasons window (1996)
Mary Cubie memorial window (2001)

Poet’s Path

Poet’s Path, Alloway: Twa Dogs (and friend!) by Sally Matthews (2020)

The footpath between the Museum and Burns’ Cottage has ironwork signage by Timorous Beasties, celebrating scenes from Tam o’ Shanter, and a variety of playful sculptures.

Poet’s Path, Alloway
Poet’s Path, Alloway: Monument to a mouse by Kenny Hunter
Poet’s Path, Alloway: Chieftain by Jake Harvey
Poet’s Path, Alloway: Tam o’ Shanter ironwork
Poet’s Path, Alloway: Liberty Regain’d by Kenny Hunter

Burns’ Cottage

Burns’ Cottage

Finally to the four-room cottage where Burns was born and lived until the age of seven, sharing the tiny box bed with three of his siblings. Four nightgowns hang above the bed to represent the children, including an Anabella! The land round about the cottage has been turned into a small-holding – and there’s Tam o’ Shanter again on his horse, Meg, as well as the poet himself.

Burns’ Cottage and kitchen garden
Burns’ Cottage, side view
Burns’ Cottage: nightgowns representing the four children born here
Tam o’ Shanter sculpture in Burns’ Cottage grounds
Statue of the poet in Burns’ Cottage grounds

Time for tea? We visited Poet’s Corner Tearoom across the road from the cottage. No pictures of that, but I loved the Post Office next door which had matched its floral decorations with the pillar box. Beautiful!

Alloway Post Office

Then it was back along the Poet’s Path to the museum car park and the drive back to Glasgow. A grand day out and less than an hour from home – highly recommended.

Scotland, UK , ,

51 Comments »

    • I grew up in the English school system so never studied Burns and thus have no ready answers, but I’ll have an uneducated bash! He wrote mostly in Scots as you say, though I don’t think language can be the complete explanation. He was prolific and told entertaining stories (eg Tam o’ Shanter) and had strong views on social conditions (eg A man’s a man for a’ that). Many of his poems are sung which might also add to their popularity. It must have been very clear on his death that his work deserved to be kept for posterity because there are so many handwritten manuscripts extant. That really impressed us.

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  2. We did a little road trip in Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire counties just after Covid. We didn’t visit Alloway as such as we arrived in the evening so only saw the old bridge and went to eat in the pub that served us delicious food.

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  5. It looks like the National Trust of Scotland has done a grand job with the Robert Burns museum and you’ve done a superb job of writing up your visit and showing all your photos. Loved the stained glass windows.

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  15. Well this looks like a splendid place to visit. I had a wonderful virtual wander with you. Those windows are very beautiful, I do like to find modern stained glass in religious buildings. And the headstones are intriguing. I was very taken by some of the headstones in Scottish churchyards when we were up there.

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  16. What a lot there is to see there! And everything seems to be so well presented, from museum to cottage and path in between. But my favourites would be the modern stained glass in the church – it looks stunning!

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  17. Hi Anabel – what a fascinating tour you’ve given us … thanks for all the interesting snippets; I’m somewhat baffled at the Grecian temple … being built in 1823 … promoting the nine muses – I don’t know Burns’ work … and I’m sure it’s very pertinent. I’d come across similar when investigating Angelica Kauffman, part of the Blue Stocking 1700s set – albeit she was more recognised as an artist – noted as a muse. It does look a well tended museum and gardens … what a lovely visit – especially with good foodie breaks! Thanks – cheers Hilary

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  19. Thanks so much for the lovely (as always) photos, Anabel. My dad used to make stained glass figurines (and was a Presbyterian minister whose church had a window very much like first of the contemporary ones in the one in Alloway). So that brought fond memories.

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  21. What a poetic and scenic walk along the poet’s path. So much to see and learn about Robert Burns and his life! I’m so glad they haven’t demolished the Brig o’Doon. It is so scenic and would really be a shame if they did. I’m sure the cobbles were hard to walk on! I walked all the way down a steep hill covered in cobbles on my way into Rome on the Via Francigena and I thought for sure I’d twist my ankle. 🙂

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  23. Looks like a good day out Anabel, and less than an hour from home too. I like the dogs and other creatures on the Poet’s Path and the stained glass windows especially the bottom three, they are stunning😊

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  24. I visited Burns Cottage in 1973! It was pouring with rain at the time, so we didn’t explore much else. Your pictures stir a desire to venture that way again, should we be fortunate to travel abroad again.

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    • We were so lucky with the weather last week! I think our previous visit to the Cottage was probably 1990s, or even 80s, and we also took in Souter Johnnie’s Cottage and the Tarbolton Bachelors Club, but we’ll have to visit them again separately because there was no time after the main museum.

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