Dazza007

By Dazza007

Brig o' Doon

The Auld Brig on the River Doon at night.

The Brig o' Doon is a late medieval bridge used as the setting for the final verse of the Robert Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter. In this scene Tam is on horseback and is being chased by Nannie the witch. He is just able to escape her by crossing the bridge (over a running stream) narrowly avoiding her attack as she is only able to grab the horse's tail which comes away in her hands. - "The carlin caught her by the rump and left puir Meg wi' scarce a stump." In the stone at the summit of the Brig is a grooved circle - legend has it that it was Meg's footprint.
The bridge is located near Alloway in South Ayrshire and crosses the River Doon. It was rebuilt in the 18th century. The Burns monument is nearby.
The bridge is allegedly the inspiration for the name of the musical 1947 Brigadoon by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.
Today, the bridge features on the 2007 series of £5 notes issued by the Bank of Scotland, alongside the statue to Robert Burns that is located in Dumfries.

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