Burns House Museum 2

Known locally as Mauchline Castle, this 15th- century tower was built as the headquarters of the Ayrshire lands of the Cistercian Abbey of Melrose. When in use it would have been the largest and most substantial building in the Museum, Mauchline parish. The house next to the castle was the home Celebrating the most ov.ui2x period in the life of of Burns's friend and patron Gavin Hamilton. ' .S.rdaml's Nationalpnct Robc)TPJJ7~s (1759-1796) The house and grounds are private property. 461 t Please respect the privacy of the occupants. A, JA

Poosie Nansie's Inn in Loudoun Street takes its name from the wife of the landlord in Burns's time, when it was a lodging house and had the reputation as the resort of people considered to be of low character. The revelry here inspired the cantata 'Love and Liberty' (also known as'The Jolly Beggars'), written in 1785 . Situated on the western edge of the town is the National Burns Memorial, completed in 1898. It originally contained a collection of Burns artefacts and later served as a tourist information centre . It now opens on special occasions. Contact the Museum for details. KEY To SITES 1 . Burns House Museum 2. Nanse Tinnock's Behind the Tower are the Burns Memorial 3. Mauchline Castle 4. Parish Church and old kirkyard 5. Car Park 6. Poosie Nansie's 7. National Burns Memorial Cottage Homes. These were begun in 1897 as a & Cottage Homes 8. Mossgiel charitable venture for the poor and elderly. Further cottages were added from time to time until the twentieth and last in 1938. opening times A short distance west of the Tower is Mossgiel where Burns was a tenant farmer. A cairn at the The Museum is open roadside marks the entrance to what it is still a from 12 April to 11 October 2003 working farm. The farmhouse was rebuilt twice Tuesday - Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm. in the 19th century. In Burns's day it was a single Group and out-of-hours visits can be arranged. storey dwelling. free admission Burns House Museum, Castle Street, Mauchline. KA5 5BZ. Tel 01290 550045

He introduced the poet to influential men in the County. He also provided Burns with introductions Burns House to the drawing rooms of the rich and powerful Burns &Mauchline n Spring 1784 twenty-five-year-old Robert in Edinburgh. Museum, Mauchline Burns leased the farm of Mossgiel, just west he Burns House Museum celebrates the of Mauchline and with his brother Gilbert he most creative period in the short life of Our exhibits include two Burns manuscripts of satirical poems with strong Mauchline connections. attemptedI to make a living from the Scotland's National poet Robert Burns unproductive soil . It was during his time at T(1759-1796) . Burns lived in Mauchline for four 'The Holy Fair' is set in the town and presents a Mauchline that Burns grew to maturity as a poet, years in the 1780s and during this time wrote rich gallery of characters. 'Holy Willies Prayer', composing many of his enduring satires, many of his described by one critic as 'perhaps the greatest narratives and verse epistles. Many of these famous poems satire in European literature', is based on a real-- appeared in his first collection, 'Poems, Chiefly in and songs. life Mauchline kirk elder. the Scottish Dialect' published in July 1786. I'he Museum has We also display artefacts that belonged to the 'Rab Mossgiel' became a national figure. a particularly poet and his contemporaries. There remain many features in the - dose association The museum has a town that Burns knew, and others with Burns. In comprehensive that have associations with him. Spring 1788 he collection of Mauchline and Jean Armour Ware. This decorated Nanse Tinnock's, opposite the rented, as their lirst home, a room in the house boxware was produced Museum, is now used for which now forms part of the Museum. Here Jean in the town until the temporary exhibitions. In gave birth to twin daughters but they died after 1930s and is now highly collectable. y Burns's time it was known as only a few days. the Sma' Inn. An interesting An existing local industry is illustrated by an feature entrance on upper Mauchline gave a is that the old the exhibition on curling stones. Mauchline is now Burns wrote new dimension to floor is directly into the churchyard . the only place in the British Isles where these Mr McAdam of Burns's life. The one of his extempore verses 'To stones are made . tradition maintains colourful and Craigengillan' here. A local first reading of 'The Holy Fair' at varied society that he gave the the inn. fuelled his creative thinking Adjacent to the Museum is the kirkyard. Here lie and contributed several members of Burns's family including his to his growing poetic powers. Here he found his young brother John, daughter Jean, and unnamed own voice as local scenes, characters and intrigues twin daughters. His contemporaries who lie here were transformed into rich and memorable poems. include Gavin Hamilton, the Reverend William Auld (Mauchline's parish minister for 50 years), The Museum also incorporates the house once and James Armour, the poet's father-in-law. The occupied bv Dr John Mackenzie, a physician, church dates from 1829, replacing the centuries- whose friendship was of great benefit to Burns. old one that Burns knew.