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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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There is now a large restaurant named
Souter Johnnie's and a tea room next to
the cottage, one of Ayrshire's most
popular, website: www.costley.biz/Souter-Johnnie-s
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