Burns Cottage Museum, Alloway

Built in 1900, and extended over the years, Burns Cottage Museum now houses the world's most important collection of Burns manuscripts and artefacts. Several hundred original manuscripts of Burns' poems, songs and letters are complemented by a fascinating collection of personal items belonging to the Poet and his family.

The museum also has a wide collection of so-called 'Burnsiana', mementoes of Burns and his work which demonstrate his continuing popularity, and a library stocked with thousands of books by or about Robert Burns. The names of the rooms; Alloway, Tarbolton and Mauchline are taken from those places in Ayrshire where Burns lived, worked and wrote.

The Holy Fair - Alexander Carse

This painting of "The Mauchline Holy Fair" in oils is by Alexander Carse. It depicts the scene from Burns' poem "The Holy Fair" written in 1785. A character study of the annual religious carnival prevalent at the time.

The Holy Fair took place each August and lasted several days attracting large numbers of communicants from several local parishes. It consisted of preaching and prayer meetings prior to the communion.

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Home About News & Events Online Gallery Object Catalogue Venues Learning Poems Useful Links Working with Collections Contact us	Burns Cottage Museum, Alloway Built in 1900, and extended over the years, Burns Cottage Museum now houses the world's most important collection of Burns manuscripts and artefacts. Several hundred original manuscripts of Burns' poems, songs and letters are complemented by a fascinating collection of personal items belonging to the Poet and his family. The museum also has a wide collection of so-called 'Burnsiana', mementoes of Burns and his work which demonstrate his continuing popularity, and a library stocked with thousands of books by or about Robert Burns. The names of the rooms; Alloway, Tarbolton and Mauchline are taken from those places in Ayrshire where Burns lived, worked and wrote. The Holy Fair - Alexander Carse This painting of "The Mauchline Holy Fair" in oils is by Alexander Carse. It depicts the scene from Burns' poem "The Holy Fair" written in 1785. A character study of the annual religious carnival prevalent at the time. The Holy Fair took place each August and lasted several days attracting large numbers of communicants from several local parishes. It consisted of preaching and prayer meetings prior to the communion.	Objects of Interest in this room Holy Fair Burn's Monument Betrothal Alloway Kirk Burns Cottage and Museum Room Tours Mauchline Room Tarbolton Room Other Locations Burns Monument Virtual Tours Burns Cottage and Museum, Alloway Bachelors' Club, Tarbolton Burns House Museum, Mauchline Writers' Museum, Edinburgh Ellisland Farm, near Dumfries Robert Burns House, Dumfries
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Burns Cottage Museum, Alloway

The Holy Fair - Alexander Carse

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