Detail from THE BROW - Where Robert Burns resided for his health a short time before his death. Henry Duncan c. 1830

Dr. Henry Duncan was an accomplished artist and examples of his remarkable drawings are on display in the museum.

Dr Duncan's drawings skilfully capture the Ruthwell of his time. He was also a fine writer, who founded two local newspapers, The Dumfries & Galloway Courier and The Dumfries & Galloway Standard, not for narrow parochial reporting, but to broaden the knowledge of his people by bringing world events to his remote corner of Scotland.

CUMBERLAND FROM THE OPPOSITE COAST Henry Duncan c. 1830

He wrote a popular series of essays under the common title The Cottage Fireside; produced a highly acclaimed work in four volumes, The Sacred Philosophy of the Seasons; and contributed to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland a paper on the Ruthwell Cross, which he was responsible for restoring.

Coming from a family with a great love of literature and philosophy, Duncan kept in touch with many of the literary giants and philosophers of his day. He was the first to publish Thomas Carlyle's works in his newspaper.