‘... a Monument to the Memory of the Ayrshire Bard, where he first drew breath, and in that County where his genius was fostered and Matured ... shall be erected at or near the Place of his Birth.’ (First minute of Burns Monument Trust, 24 March 1814)
Less than 20 years after Burns’s death, a committee made up of some of his most ardent supporters began to make plans to memorialise the great poet.
The result is this 21m (70ft) high Grecian-style temple, designed by Sir Thomas Hamilton Junior and complete with nine pillars representing muses from Greek mythology.
The monument was funded by subscriptions and opened in 1823. There’s no admission fee for the monument and gardens, but we still raise funds today to help conserve this mighty memorial for everyone to enjoy.
Just along from the monument in the gardens is a small statue house, displaying sandstone likenesses of Souter Johnnie and Nance Tinnock, crafted by self-taught sculptor James Thom.
You can climb up the monument staircase to take in the spectacular views of Alloway and the surrounding landscape, and then enjoy a stroll around the landscaped gardens. Here the rose is a main feature, in homage to Burns’s famous poem.