Alloway Kirk (2)

A steel plate engraving from a painting by D O Hill RSA, of the old church in the village where Robert Burns was born.   Robert Burns was born at Alloway near Ayr on the 25th January 1759, the eldest of seven children of Agnes and William Burnes. His father was a market gardener, who having acquired a small holding of land, had built a cottage in the village.   Burns wrote the poem, "Tam O'Shanter" as a "witch story" to accompany the illustration of Alloway Kirk which was published by his friend, Captain Francis Grose in his "Antiquities of Scotland". They were both impressed by the atmosphere of the old church.   This view of Alloway church was published in "The Land of Burns - A series of Landscapes and Portraits, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of the Scottish Poet". This was published in 1846 by  Blackie and Son of Glasgow. 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. Books such as this one, illustrated by engravings of works by eminent artists, became popular, although they were still  expensive and beyond the pocket of most people.