Ahead of Burns Night this week, one unique way to celebrate the life and work of the iconic Scots poet can be found by heading to Prestonpans.
The small East Lothian mining town is home to the Robert Burns Memorial Shelter, a distinctive structure located near Hepburn Rocks and Prestongrange Parish Church.
It consists of a pair of windows and an entrance, all of which are covered in metal bars. The shelter was erected on the bicentenary of Burns' birth in 1959 using public funds.
Engraved above the entrance is the Burns line "Better a wee bush than a nae bield". The Scots expression "nae bield" translates to "no sanctuary". The main attraction of the shelter, however, is contained within.
In 2005, local artist Kate Hunter was commissioned by The Prestoungrange Arts Festival to create a mural depicting the tale of Tam O'Shanter.
The narrative poem is among Burns' most well-known and beloved works, and concerns the habits of a farmer who frequently gets drunk with his friends in a public house in Ayr.
At 228 lines, it is among Burns' longer poems, providing ample inspiration for the artist. The mural even contains the faces of men who influenced Burns alongside characters from the poem.
The mural depicts suitably surreal and imaginative imagery considering the poem it is based on, in which the title character witnesses witches, warlocks, and even the devil himself playing the bagpipes.
If you are planning to head to the Robert Burns Memorial Shelter, be aware that there is no access to the interior under normal circumstances. However, the mural can be viewed through the bars and is lit up at night.
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