An expert team of thatchers have been at work in Alloway this week, replacing the roof at Burns Cottage.

The work is in preparation for the National Trust for Scotland’s project to provide a fitting legacy for Burns.

The plans include creating a world-class Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway in 2010, carrying out a re-interpretation of the cottage where Burns was born, delivering exciting new education facilities and enhancing the Burns Monument, Brig o’Doon and Auld Kirk.

Curator David Hopes said:

“Re-thatching the cottage is just one of the early improvements to Burns Cottage we can expect to see, which includes an exciting reinterpretation, which will help enhance people’s understanding and appreciation of Burns.

“We’ll be donating some of the original thatch to Hansel Village for use in their craft activities. This is very appropriate as Burns used the word ‘hansel’ to mean ‘gift’.”