Burns Cottage is ready for anything the weather can throw at it.
Thatcher Dave Brooks this week added the final sheaf of wheat to the roof of the Bard’s cottage in Alloway.
The cottage, owned and looked after by the National Trust for Scotland is undergoing extensive conservation work by the charity, including the replacement of its traditional thatched roof.
The cottage was built by Burns’ father William Burnes in 1757 and is the place where Robert was born.
Centuries of Scottish winters have taken their toll, with the roof, walls and chimney requiring specialist attention. The traditional thatched roof had developed significant tears and had worn away.
Towards the front, moss had also begun to grow, collecting rainwater and rotting the thatch underneath.
Work, which is being undertaken thanks to generous donations, will continue to conserve the cottage over the next month with the property reopening to the public in mid April.
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