Share this page

Previous work:

Nithsdale's Welcome Hame


 The noble Maxwells and their powers Are coming o'er the border, And they'll gae big Terreagles' towers And set them a' in order. And they declare, Terreagles fair, For their abode they chuse it; There's no a heart in a' the land But's lighter at the news o't. Tho' stars in skies may disappear, And angry tempests gather; The happy hour may soon be near That brings us pleasant weather: The weary night o' care and grief May hae a joyfu' morrow, So dawning day has brought relief, Fareweel our night o' sorrow.

Listen

Gerry Carruthers

About this work

This is a song by Robert Burns. It was written in 1791 and is read here by Gerry Carruthers.

More about this song

Burns was inspired to compose the song 'Nithdale's Welcome Hame' as a compliment to Lady Winifred Maxwell Constable (1736-1801).

Lady Winifred was the descendent of William Maxwell, the 5th Earl of Nithsdale: a Jacobite who was sentenced to death following the uprising of 1715, but who escaped to Rome where he died in 1744.

Terreagles in Kirkcudbright was the Maxwell's ancestral home which Lady Winifred undertook to rebuild in 1789. This song was eventually published in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum in 1792.

Pauline Mackay

Themes for this song

jacobitism

Skip to top

BBC © 2014The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.