Cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics cookies to help us improve it. We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them or accept our recommended settings. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

Options
Necessary cookies enable core functionality on our website. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.
We use marketing cookies to personalise your visit to our website and show you tailored advertising based on your likes and interests.
We use analytics cookies to monitor visitor behaviour patterns and improve our website performance.

Your preferences have been set. If you wish to change your preferences, you may do so on our cookies page.

Search My Trust
Join now
Join
Close

Looking for places? Use our place search to find them by name, town or postcode.

Search

Limewood carving 'Tam must Ride', by Thomas Tweedie

Key details

Object number
3.5009
Date
1860
On display
Yes
Maker
Tweedie, Thomas Hall (Sculptor)

Description

One of a set of four limewood carvings inspired by a line from the poem 'Tam o'Shanter'.

This carving in limewood by Thomas Tweedy, c1860, depicts the scene early in the poem by Robert Burns of Tam o' Shanter, where Tam climbs on to his grey mare Meg in a stormy night on leaving the ale-house in Ayr for his journey home to Maybole".

Tam is shown being assisted onto his horse by his drinking companion Souter Johnie, with the landlady looking on and carrying a lamp to light "that dreary hour Tam mounts his beast in".

These friezes depict the four key scenes in Tam o’ Shanter: the first shows an Ayr alehouse, ‘Boozing at the Nappy’; ‘Tam must ride’ comes next; ‘Witches and warlocks in a dance’ follows; and finally ‘Maggie’s mettle’.
Show more

Object information

Acquisition

24 July 1987

Category

Material

Measurements

  • Depth: 12(cm)
  • Height: 32(cm)
  • Width: 48.2(cm)

You might also like

Object

Limewood carving of 'Boozing at the Nappy', by Thomas H.Tweedy

Date created: 1860

Object number: 3.5008

Object

Limewood carving 'Witches and Warlocks in a Dance' by Thomas Tweedie

Date created: 1860

Object number: 3.5010

Object

Limewood carving 'Maggie's Mettle', by Thomas Tweedy

Date created: 1860

Object number: 3.5011

Caring for collections

A gift of £5 a month can help us ensure collections like the Robert Burns Collection receive ongoing care and are shared with as many people as possible.

Donate today
Back to top