Burns Cottage
Burns Cottage was built in 1757 by Robert Burns' 
father, William Burnes. William had leased the plot from a local landowner, Dr Alexander Campbell, and built the two-room cottage (but n' ben) by hand.
In November of the same year William married Agnes Broun of Maybole.
Their eldest son, Robert, was born in the cottage on 25 January 1759. Another three of the seven children in total were also born there. They were Gilbert (1760), Agnes (1762) and Annabella (1764).
The cottage was almost destroyed during a storm when Robert was only a few days old and the family had to move out for a short while. The family eventually moved from the cottage to Mount Oliphant in 1766 when Burns was seven years old.
The cottage and grounds were let out to various tenants until 1781 when it was purchased for the princely sum of £160 by the Incorporation of Shoemakers.
Their first tenant turned the cottage into an Alehouse in approximately 1800 and it remained as such until 1881.
The cottage was then acquired by The Burns Monument Trustees who destroyed the buildings that had been added by the Incorporation of Shoemakers and restored the cottage itself.
The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is due to open in 2010. The project includes a new museum building and learning centre and will also carry out restoration on the cottage.
father, William Burnes. William had leased the plot from a local landowner, Dr Alexander Campbell, and built the two-room cottage (but n' ben) by hand.In November of the same year William married Agnes Broun of Maybole.
Their eldest son, Robert, was born in the cottage on 25 January 1759. Another three of the seven children in total were also born there. They were Gilbert (1760), Agnes (1762) and Annabella (1764).
The cottage was almost destroyed during a storm when Robert was only a few days old and the family had to move out for a short while. The family eventually moved from the cottage to Mount Oliphant in 1766 when Burns was seven years old.The cottage and grounds were let out to various tenants until 1781 when it was purchased for the princely sum of £160 by the Incorporation of Shoemakers.
Their first tenant turned the cottage into an Alehouse in approximately 1800 and it remained as such until 1881.
The cottage was then acquired by The Burns Monument Trustees who destroyed the buildings that had been added by the Incorporation of Shoemakers and restored the cottage itself.The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is due to open in 2010. The project includes a new museum building and learning centre and will also carry out restoration on the cottage.
