The legacy of Scotland’s bard is at risk, and we need your help.
When you think of Scotland, you can’t help but think of beloved poet Robert Burns.
Rabbie’s work provides us with an intimate snapshot of 18th-century Scotland, and his universal themes of brotherhood and equality went on to impact the wider world. His poems address subjects from nature to love and even satirical attacks on the Scottish church, all set within a uniquely Scottish tradition.
IT’S ESSENTIAL THAT THIS PIECE OF SCOTTISH HISTORY AND CULTURE IS PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.
The Bachelor’s Club and Souter Johnnie’s Cottage
This doesn’t just happen at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. There are two other buildings associated with Scotland’s bard that the National Trust for Scotland looks after in Ayrshire: the Bachelor’s Club and Souter Johnnie’s Cottage.
Souter Johnnie’s Cottage
Souter Johnnie’s Cottage was built in 1785 by shoemaker John Davidson, who lived there with his family. Today, Davidson is better known to us as Souter Johnnie, the drinking partner of the hapless Tam O’Shanter whose hair-raising nighttime ride home was immortalized in Burns’ poetry.
The Bachelor’s Club
The Bachelor’s Club in Tarbolton was founded by Robert and his brother Gilbert a few years before Burns’ first collection of poems was published. Within this building, Burns learned to dance to the Gregg fiddle, became a freemason, and created a debating society. The club, where Burns developed the early themes of his poetry, gives a rare insight into male social life at the time.
As well as having a connection to Robert Burns, Souter Johnnie’s Cottage and the Bachelor’s Club are Category A listed buildings, which means they’re of international importance. Both are a rare snapshot of Scotland’s rural history.
Why we need your help
It’s the thatched roofs that make them special. Over the centuries, most buildings changed to tile or slate roofs for longevity. It’s because of the connection to Burns that they have survived in their original form.
Both buildings are thatched with reed, which needs replacing every 10–15 years. Back in August, we replaced the Bachelor’s Club’s roof and made small repairs to Souter Johnnie’s Cottage.
We would have liked to have done this at the same time as repairing the walls. However, craftsmen with traditional thatching skills are becoming harder to find and are in high demand. A thatcher in Yorkshire had an opening, so we snapped him up – his current waiting list is over two years!
But these two places face an insidious challenge – the rain! Both places are currently suffering from dampness due to how the walls were treated in the past. Both cottages were painted using masonry paint, and we now know that this isn’t good for older buildings – it traps moisture, leading to dampness. In turn, the damp has cracked the brickwork, and parts of the mortar are beginning to fail.
It’s a similar case on the inside, where gypsum plaster, which also traps water droplets, was used.
It’s been a dreich summer… and, though we all like to joke about Scotland’s rain, meteorologists are projecting 11% more rain a year.
We need to repair these buildings now and adapt them for increased rainfall, so they stand a fighting chance of having a future. Their preservation is essential, and without our care, these connections to Burns and 18th-century Ayrshire could be lost.
And we have a plan.
Our plan to save these historic sites
This spring, when the weather is warmer and drier, we will peel back the layers of paint and plaster. We’ll undertake repairs to the brick below, restoring the damage from the damp and repointing where needed. The exterior will then be ‘harled’ – covered in a mixture of limewash and aggregate – which will protect the building while still allowing moisture to escape. On the inside, we’ll use traditional lime plaster, which will achieve the same. The total cost of this vital restoration project is $430,000. The Trust has already committed $260,000, but still needs to raise an additional $170,000 to complete the work.
CAN WE COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT TO PROTECT BURNS’ LEGACY?
Make a lasting impact
The Bachelor’s Club and Souter Johnnie’s Cottage represent connections to Robert Burns’ formative years and the wider society he lived in. For people who love Burns, they have become evocative places of pilgrimage.
As you think about year-end giving, please consider supporting the unmatched legacy of the poet who has become synonymous with Scotland – Robert Burns. Please join us in making a tax-deductible gift to ensure the ongoing care and protection of the Bachelor’s Club and Souter Johnnie’s Cottage today.