Robert Burns And The Eglinton Estate
During the years 1781–1782, at the age of 23, Robert Burns (1759–1796) lived in Irvine, North Ayrshire for a period of around 9 months, whilst learning the craft of flax-dressing from his mother's half-brother, Alexander Peacock, working at the heckling shop in the Glasgow Vennel. Dr John Cumming of Milgarholm, a provost of Irvine, claimed that he had invited Burns to come to Irvine to learn flax dressing. During this time he made a number of acquaintances, befriended several locals and took regular walks into the Eglinton Woods via the old Irvine to Kilwinning toll road and the Drukken or Drucken (Drunken) Steps over the Red Burn and back via the site of Saint Brides or Bryde's Well at Stanecastle. Burns had several other connections with the Eglinton Estate and other branches of the Montgomerie family. He probably left in March 1782.
Read more about Robert Burns And The Eglinton Estate: The Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton, Irvine and The Drukken Steps, The Drukken Steps in Poetry and Music, Clement Wilson and The Eglinton Burns Statue, George Reid and Agnes Tennant of Barquharie, Robin Cummel (Campbell), Dr Charles Fleming, Robert Burns, Dr. John MacKenzie, John Peebles, Alison Begbie, Jean Gardner, Jean Glover, See Also, References
Famous quotes containing the words burns and/or estate:
“O Mary, canst thou wreck his peace,
Wha for thy sake wad gladly die?
Or canst thou break that heart of his,
Whase only faut is loving thee?”
—Robert Burns (1759–1796)
“Our vices always lie in the direction of our virtues, and in their best estate are but plausible imitations of the latter.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)