Re-thatching the Bachelors’ Club
Donate todayPlease help us restore Robert Burns’s Bachelors’ Club.
A place that shaped Scotland’s greatest poet
Just a few years before he published his debut collection of poems in 1786, Robert Burns co-founded the Tarbolton Bachelors’ Club – a 17th-century house with distinctive red shutters. In this place, the young Burns not only honed his poetic craft but also learned to dance, became a Freemason, and established one of Scotland’s earliest rural debating societies. Over 250 years later, it continues to captivate Burns enthusiasts worldwide.
Protecting the building’s integrity
However, this unique building faces a perpetual challenge: the Scottish climate, especially the amount of rainfall on the west coast. The thatched roof of the Bachelors’ Club is a crucial part of its character, but thatch needs to be tidied and replaced every 10–20 years. The effects of Scotland’s damp winters exacerbates the decay.
In 2024, we will enlist a skilled thatcher to restore the roof using traditional techniques and reeds sourced from the River Tay.
Conservation plan
The scaffolding needed for the roof repair presents us with an opportunity to address broader structural concerns at the same time. These measures will not only safeguard against further deterioration but also improve the internal conditions of this very special house.
We plan to revitalise the external walls by repointing them with a lime mortar and then renew the protective lime wash.
As a charity, we rely on your support to undertake these vital repairs. Please, if you can, donate today and help us protect this incredible legacy of Scotland’s national bard.
Featured Places
Bachelors’ Club
Robert Burns learned to dance and debate in this authentically restored house.
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
Birthplace of a genius – a celebration of the enduring legacy of Scotland’s national poet
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For auld lang syne
As the South West Project Reveal team approach the end of our involvement in the project, we’d like to look back over the last 15 months.