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Rambles Through the Land of Burns
By Archibald R. Adamson
Book supplied and transcribed by Christene Geis for which many thanks.


AUTHOR OF "RAMBLES ROUND KILMARNOCK," &c.

"Thrice hallow’d the land of our Minstrel’s birth,
The fields that once gladden’d his eye,
The echoes that rang to is woe and his mirth,
And the mountains that bounded his sky!
Lo! there is the scene of his own Vision-dream--
The mantle his Coila then wore,
Still flower’d with the forest, enstriped with the stream,
And fringed with the fret of the shore!
HEW AINSLIE.

KILMARNOCK:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DUNLOP & DRENNAN,
"STANDARD" OFFICE.
---------
MDCCCLXXIX

THIS WORK,
ILLUSTRATIVE OF PLACES AND SCENERY
RENDERED FAMOUS
BY THE MUSE AND RESIDENCE OF SCOTLAND’S MINSTREL,
ROBERT BURNS,
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE ADMIRERS
OF HIS GENUIS

CONTENTS

  • Preface

  • Chapter I
    On the Road to Ayr--The Daisy--Scenery in the Vicinity of Kilmarnock--Craigie Castle--Barnweil Hill--Symington --The Cradle-Land of Burns--The Bramble--A Peculiarity Situated Monument--A Ludicrous Adventure--Monkton.
  • Chapter II
    Monkton--Its Ruined Church--A Nephew of Robert Burns--The Graveyard and its Memorials--Governor Macrae’s Grave--The Story of his Life--A fortunate Family --"Captain Macrae"--Musings--The Manse--"Lang, Lang Syne."
  • Chapter III
    From Monkton to Ayr--Scenery--Orangefield--James Dalrymple--A worthy--"The Pow Brig"--Prestwick Kirk and Burying Ground--Interesting Memorials--Prestwick--Historical Notes--Kingcase Well and Lazarhouse---A Tradition of King Robert The Bruce.
  • Chapter IV
    Ayr, its Appearance, Trade, and Antiquity--Its Charters, Privileges, Wall and Castle--The Barns of Ayr--The Burning of the Barns and Massacre of the English--"The Friar’s Blessing"--The Castle Destroyed by Bruce and Rebuilt by the English--Taken by the Townspeople--The Religious Houses of Ayr--The State of Society in Ayr at the Reformation--The Pest--The Fort--Cromwell’s Troops--Martyrs.
  • Chapter V
    Newton-upon-Ayr--The Constitution of the Burgh--The Church and its Pastors--The Auld and New Brigs of Ayr--Was Burns a Prophet?--The High Street of Ayr--The Site of the Tolbooth--The Old Church and Graveyard--Provost Ballantyne--Robert Aiken--Heroes of "The Kirk’s Alarm"--The Martyr’s Stone--A Curious Epitaph--Daft Rab Hamilton.
  • Chapter VI
    The Wallace Tower--The Tam o Shanter Inn--Drouthie Cronies--Scenery in the Vicinity of Ayr--The Chapman’s Ford--"The Meikle Stane"--The Cot in which Burns was Born--Its Appearance and Desecration--Its Erection--When and How it was turned into a Public-House--Miller Goudie--Curran’s Visit--What Keats had to say about "The Flummary of a Birthplace"--The First Burns Club.
  • Chapter VII
    From "The Cottage" to Mount Oliphant--The Appearance of the Steading--Gossip, etc.--Privations Endured by the Parents of Burns when Residing at Mount Oliphant--The Poet’s First Sweetheart--The Flitting--"The Festival on the Banks of the Doon--Alloway Kirk--A legend--The Grave of the Poet’s Father--Old Stones.
  • Chapter VIII
    The Monument on the Banks of Doon--Its External and Internal Appearance--Relics of the Poet--Highland Mary’s Bible--Scenery--The statues of Tam o’ Shanter and Souter Johnny--The Scheme for Erecting and Monument and how it Originated--Laying the Foundation Stone--Mr. Boswell’s Address, etc.
  • Chapter IX
    The Hotel and Shell Palace--The Auld Brig o’ Doon--The New Brig and its Petition--View from the Heights in its Vicinity--Newark Castle--Greenan Castle--The Return Journey
  • Chapter X
    From Kilmarnock to Coilsfield--Riccarton Graveyard--An Eccentric Miser--A Burns Worthy--Craigie Road--Scargie--Howcommon--A Good Joke--Scenery--The Farm of Lochlea and Crannog--The Old Dwelling-House and New Barn--The Death of the Poet’s Father--Wild Flowers--The River Ayr--Failford, etc.
  • Chapter XI
    The Entrance to the Domain of Coilsfield--Coilsfield Mains--King Coil’s Grave and what was found in and near it--The Castle o’ Montgomery--"Highland Mary"--"Highland Mary’s Thorn" and Associations--From Coilsfield to Tarbolton--The Village--Burns--An Old Inn--The Debating Club and Dancing School--The Old Hall, etc.
  • Chapter XII
    Hoodshill--An Ancient Custom--The Scene of "Death and Dr. Hornbook"--"Willie’s Mill"--Grannie Hay’s Recollections of Burns and the Miller’s Wife--A Souvenir of their Friendship--Tarbolton Church and Churchyard--The Village Smithy--A Walk to Tollcross and its Object--"Brother Burns"--Fail Castle--The Friar--The Warlock Laird and his Cantrips--Adam Hill--Home Again.
  • Chapter XIII
    Kilmarnock--A Glance at its History, Progress, and Appearance--Kilmarnock House--The Lady’s Walk--Burns in Kilmarnock--Friends, and Places Associated with his Name--The Town of his Day--The Laigh Kirk--The Churchyard--The High Church--"Black Jock Russell" and Burns--The Soulis Monument--"Wee Johnie"--The Kay Park--The Burns Monument
  • Chapter XIV
    From Kilmarnock to Mossgiel--Notes by the Way--Mossgiel--A noisy Reception--The Dwelling-House--The Spence--An Interesting Relic--The "Mouse" and "Daisy" --John Blane’s Recollections--The Old Dwelling-House--The Poet’s Study--The Scene of "The Vision"--The Poet’s Personal Appearance and Misfortunes when in the Farm.
  • Chapter XV
    Mauchline--The Rise and Progress of the Box-making Trade--Nanse Tannock’s House--The House in which Burns lived after his marriage--Gavin Hamilton’s House--The Parish Church--The Kirk-Yard--The Holy Fair-- John Doo and Poosie Nansie--The Public Green and Martyrs’ Stone--A Word about them--An Anecdote of Burns and Jean Armour--The Auld Manse and who was seen in its Haunted Room--The Haggis.
  • Chapter XVI
    Ballochmyle--The Braes--The Lass o’ Ballochmyle--Her Account of Meeting the Poet--Burns’ Seat--The Poet’s Letter to Miss Alexander--Apologies for her Silence--The Bower--Caught by the Gamekeeper--Catrine--An Excursion Party--The River Ayr--Ballochmyle Bridge--Haugh --Barskimming Brig--"Man was made to Mourn"--The Railway Station--Back to Kilmarnock.
  • Chapter XVII
    From Kilmarnock to Newmilns--The Ayrshire Hermit--Loudoun Kirkyard and Ruined Church--The Queir--Lady Flora Hastings--The Scottish Milmaid--Galston--Loudoun Castle--The Old Castle--Loudoun Manse--Dr. Lawrie and Burns--Loudoun Hill--Newmilns--The Old Tower--The Parish Church and Churchyard.
  • Chapter XVIII
    From Kilmarnock to Dumfriesshire--Notes by the Way--Auldgirth and its Scenery--The Hotel--On the Road to Dumfries--Gossip--The Banks of the Nith--Friar’s Carse--Friendships of Burns--"The Whistle"--The Hermitage and its Associations.
  • Chapter XIX
    Ellisland, its Situation, Appearance, and Associations--Burns as an Exciseman--His Antipathy of the Office--His Humanity, Hospitality, and Industry--The Poet’s Favourite Walk--The Composition of "Tam o’ Shanter"--The Wounded Hare--The Isle--Holywood Past and Present--Lincluden Abbey.
  • Chapter XX
    Dumfries--The Old Bridge--Greyfriars’ Monastery--The Castle--A House in which Burns Lived--High Street--The Globe Inn and its Associations--The House in which Burns died.
  • Chapter XXI
    The House in which Burns died--His Circumstances and Last Illness--Goes to Brow--His Anxiety for the Welfare of his Family--An Affecting Anecdote--The Poet’s Return to Dumfries--The Anxiety of the Inhabitants--Jessie Lewars--His Death and Funeral--The Family of Burns--The Exemplary Life of the Poet’s Widow--Sale of House-hold Effects.
  • Chapter XXII
    St. Michael’s Churchyard--The Erection of the Mausoleum--The Disinterment of the Poet’s Remains--Phreno-logical Description of his Cranium--The External and Internal Appearance of the Mausoleum--Inscriptions--A Grandson of the Poet--Burns’ Connection with the Drum-fries Library--Concluding Remarks.

Click here to read a bit about the author from this adobe .pdf file

Rambles Through The Land of Burns - 2nd Ed.
With Forward by a Direct Descendant


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