The House in which Burns died, Dumfries,

A hand coloured steel plate engraving from a painting by William Henry Bartlett of Robert Burns' last home in Dumfries.   It was in this ordinary sandstone house in a quiet back street of Dumfries that Robert Burns spent the last three years of his life. The family moved into the house in May 1793. The house had a parlour, kitchen, two bedrooms and even a small study where Burns could write. It was well furnished with a carpet and a long case clock in the parlour.   Robert Burns died in the bedroom of this house in 1796 but his widow, Jean Armour Burns continued to live in the house until her own death in 1834. The house was purchased in 1851 by their son, Colonel William Nicol Burns and throughout the 19th Century it became a place of pilgrimage for Burns enthusiasts from around the world.   This view of Burns House has been hand coloured, most probably sometime in the 20th century after having been removed from a topographical book published in the mid 1880s . At this time the development of steel plate engraving made it possible for images to be reproduced in much greater numbers than previous printing technology had allowed. Engravings of works by eminent artists became popular, although they were still expensive and beyond the pocket of most people.