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

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.

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