Robert Burns Ellisland Farm

Robert Burns Ellisland Farm is 7 miles north of of Dumfries town off the A76 road.

Robert Burns Ellisland Farm is open most of the year, Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat 11am - 4pm. Postcode: DG2 0RP

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1788 - Robert Burns takes a lease on this Farm. The local Landowner, Patrick Miller of Dalswinton Estate, had offered Robert the choice of three Farms.

Robert chose Ellisland as it was the most scenic, next to the River Nith.

Robert built the Farmhouse here then started to work the Farm with the help of relations. Jean Armour stayed at their home in Mauchline with her sole surviving child till the Farm was ready for them.

1788 – Robert became a father to twin girls, born to Jean Armour.

1788 - Robert also became the father to Robert Burns Clow, born to Jenny Clow, a domestic servant from Edinburgh. Burns met her when promoting his work in Edinburgh.

1788 – Robert writes Auld Lang Syne.

1789 – Robert begins work as an Excise Officer, leaving the running of the Farm to his wife Jean and relations working for him.

1789 – becomes a father to Francis Wallace Burns, born to Jean Armour.

1790 – Writes Tam o’ Shanter.

1791 – Moves to Dumfries as the Farm land was proving difficult to make a profit from.

1796 21 July, aged 37, Robert Burns died at his home in Dumfries from heart disease.

He was buried at St Michael's Church in Dumfries on the day Jean Armour gave birth to his son.

Ellisland was farmed until 1921. It was then bought by a former President of Edinburgh Burns Club, John Wilson, to serve as a Museum.

The south walk from Ellisland Farm, alongside the River Nith, leads to the Garden of Cosmic Speculation on a private Estate, normally only open to visitors one day a year.

The Gardens were designed by Charles Jencks born in Baltimore USA.

Jencks other large work in the area can be viewed all year round at the north side of Sanquhar town, named Crawick Multiverse.

This work was created on the site of a former opencast coal mine, 27 miles north of Ellisland Farm.

Friars Carse Country House Hotel is one mile north of Ellisland Farm with connections to Burns.

Friars Carse was originally the home of the Riddell family with Robert Burns a regular houseguest. The Whistle Restaurant is where the famous drinking competition was held between Burns and Fergusson of Craigdarroch.

You can visit the Hotel for drinks, meals and to view where Burns enjoyed visiting.

Other interesting pages for Robert Burns are:

Robert Burns House Museum in Dumfries.

Alloway Village for his Birthplace Museum.

Kirkoswald Village where he attended school and where the characters of his poem Tam O Shanter came from and are buried.

Mauchline Village where he met and married Jean Armour, also had an affair with Highland Mary.