WORK has commenced to re-thatch the roof of a historic building in South Ayrshire which was once the site of Robert Burns's social club.
In the late 1700s, Burns learned how to dance, became a freemason, and created a debating society, The Bachelors’ Club.
The grade A-listed building, which is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), plays an important role in the village of Tarbolton as it tells the story of the famous Scottish poets' life.
The building is also regarded as an “excellent” example of 17th-century vernacular architecture and is one of approximately 220 thatched buildings remaining in Scotland.
The extensive eight-week project is the first phase of work at the Bachelors’ Club and involves re-thatching the entire building along with other conservation efforts.
The “major works” are being carried out by a team of thatchers, who are travelling from Yorkshire, due to a skills shortage in the traditional trade of roof thatching across the UK.
They will be joined by local joiners, stonemasons, roof workers, and an archaeologist who will have a watching brief during the works to record any findings of interest or importance.
Laura Baillie, building conservation surveyor at the NTS, said sourcing appropriate materials for the roof is essential to the preservation of the 300-year-old building.
She said: “This is a really special project that has taken a huge amount of logistical coordination. From appointing skilled tradespeople, which is a challenge in itself with traditional trades like thatching, to sourcing the reed and appropriate materials, we have worked hard to ensure we are preserving this 300-year-old building in a way that is both sustainable and true to its heritage.
“We’ve also included our Trust network and local communities by appointing local tradespeople where possible, and hopefully providing an element of up-skilling as they observe the thatchers at work.
“And the local farm storing the reed and taking the spent reed for mulch belongs to a former stonemason apprentice at Culzean, so we owe a lot to the people around us who support projects like this.”
Along with the re-thatching of the roof other work including reforming the ridge of the thatch in a more traditional timber board finish, rebuilding a brick chimney head in traditional stone, replacement of lead valleys and flashings with neighbouring properties and repairs to stone skews will also take place.
The NTS said the reed for the thatching has been acquired from a Tayside RSPB reserve in a bid to make the project as sustainable as possible.
The conservation works are funded by the Historic Environment Scotland Partnership Fund Grant, which is an ongoing collaboration that enables the charity to not only carry out the work but also to support the continuation of traditional crafts and skills.
A second phase planned for early 2025 will look at the external elevations and internal finishes of the building.
Caroline Smith, operations manager at Bachelors’ Club, said: “This is such an important site in the history of Burns’ life and an important 17th-century building in its own right. With so few thatched buildings remaining in Scotland, this is vital conservation work for the Trust.
“This is the first phase of a larger project, with the next phase including repairs to the external and internal walls of the building, as well as carrying out thatch maintenance at Souter Johnnie’s Cottage in Ayrshire, another historical link to Burns. We are dedicated to preserving these important buildings for everyone to enjoy for many years to come.”
It is estimated the work will cost £330,000 to complete and the NTS requires £130,000 which is not covered by funding from Historic Environment Scotland and is looking for donations.
The Bachelors’ Club is closed to the public while these works take place, with plans to reopen in 2025.
