A tour of the collections of Dumfries and Galloway Museums Service that draws together the best of the historical, precious, significant and just plain surprising.

There is a cast of Robert the Bruce's skull, with damage to the jaws and nose vividly bearing witness to his eventful life, a Viking cat skinning trough, magic shoes, a mysterious Celtic brooch, the death mask of the last man to be publicly executed for murder, a manuscript written by Robert Burns and the miniature portrait of him which was treasured by his devoted wife, Jean.

All give reflections of the rich and turbulent past of Dumfries and Galloway.

Further information on the museum collections of Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire can also be found on the Future Museum website.

• A Witch's Execution
  This is about Elspeth McEwen from Dalry, who was found guilty of being a witch. As a punishment she was burned to death. She was the last witch to be killed in Scotland. This happened only 300 years ago.
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• Annan Town Crier's Bell
  The town crier in Annan used this. Before there were newspapers and radios he went round the town shouting out the news! It is 200 years old.
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• Ayrshire Whitework Baby's Bonnet
  The embroidery on this is called Ayrshire Whitework. Many women worked at sewing baby clothes like this by hand 180 years ago. The south of Scotland was famous for this needlework.
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• Bonnie Prince Charlie in Dumfries
  Charles Edward Stewart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, used these when his army came through Dumfries 250 years ago.
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• Carved Sandstone Head
  This is a Celtic goddess called Rhiannon. The Celts were the people who lived in Dumfries and Galloway at the time the Romans tried to take over. There was much fighting but sometimes Celts and Romans lived together in peace.
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• Celtic Penannular Brooch
  This was used to fasten a cloak. Its owner was a Celt. He buried it 1,300 years ago along with his sword. It is a mystery why he did this.
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• Coat of Lieutenant General Colin Mackenzie
  An army officer was wearing this coat when he was attacked and badly hurt. He lived to tell the tale and kept the coat as a reminder of his good luck. It is 150 years old.
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• Curling Stone
  This is a curling stone. It was made 280 years ago and is one of the oldest curling stones in Scotland. Curling is a sport that was invented in Scotland. The players slide the stones along the ice on frozen lochs to see who can get nearest to the target.
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• Decorated Leather Strips
  A piece of leather with a special pattern stamped out on it, made 1,100 years ago.
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• Decorative Interlace Plaque
  This has a very beautiful pattern on it. Look carefully and you will see two animals twisted up together and fighting. It comes from a book used in a church. It is 1,300 years old.
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• Edwardian Lead Soldiers
  These are made of lead. They are from the time of the Boer War. This war was fought in South Africa over 100 years ago. Many soldiers from Dumfries and Galloway went away to fight in it.
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• Gatehouse Halfpenny
  This was called a halfpenny, but nowadays you would need 5 of them to make one pence! It was made over 200 years ago when there were not enough coins in general circulation and it could only be spent in Gatehouse-of-Fleet.
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• "Harvest Home and Golden Corn" by David Payne, 1875
  This is called "Harvest Home and Golden Corn". It shows people gathering corn by hand near Annan. This painting was made in 1875.
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• Horn Ware
  These are made from the horn of cows. Billy Marshall, the Gypsy King of Galloway, made these. Many travelling people made their living by making and selling horn goods 250 years ago.
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• "Kirkcudbright - A Royal Burgh"
  This is about the buildings in Kirkcudbright's High Street. It was written by Jessie M King, a famous Kirkcudbright artist, who also did the drawings. It is 70 years old.
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• Magic Shoes
  Children's shoes are often found hidden in the roof or chimney of old houses. People thought they were a magic charm and would protect their family. These were hidden over 100 years ago.
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• Man-of-War Ship Model
  French prisoners of war made this model of a 90 gun man-of-war during the Napoleonic Wars in the early years of the 19th century.
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• Mediaeval Illuminated Manuscript
  This is how music looks when it is written out on paper. This is the oldest church music in Scotland. It is 600 years old.
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• Model Field Gun and Casket
  This is a model of a type of gun used during the First World War. In 1920 the Provost of Kirkcudbright gave it to the town in memory of the local people who were killed during the war.
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• Model of a Solway Trawl Boat
  This model of a Solway fishing boat is made of silver. 100 years ago local fishermen gave it to their MP because he helped protect the fishing industry.
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• Norse Sword and Grave Goods
  These were found with a metal pin and glass bead. These belonged to a Viking and were buried with him when he died. They are 1,000 years old.
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• Papal "Bulla" of Clement II
  This is made of lead. It belonged to Pope Clement II, who was in charge of the church 1,000 years ago. He sent this from Italy. He used it as a stamp on important papers to prove that he had sent them.
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• Peden's Cup
  This cup is made of wood. It belonged to Alexander Peden, who used it when he held secret church services 350 years ago.
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• Robert Burns
  This is Robert Burns, Scotland's greatest poet. He died in Dumfries when he was only 37 years old. It belonged to his wife, Jean Armour Burns. It is over 200 years old.
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• Robert Smith's Death Mask
  This is Robert Smith. This model of his head was made after he died. He was a murderer and the last criminal to be hanged in public in Scotland. This happened in Dumfries only 130 years ago.
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• Robert the Bruce
  This is a model of the skull of Robert the Bruce. He was King of Scotland 700 years ago. He fought to free Scotland from England.
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• Silver Curling Medal, Keir
  This is a curling club prize medal from the village of Keir. Many towns and villages in Dumfries and Galloway used to have a curling club. It is more than 150 years old.
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• Sir John Ross' Beef Can
  Admiral Sir John Ross took this beef can on three expeditions to the North Pole! He was a famous explorer from Stranraer. It is almost 200 years old.
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• Stone Gaming Board
  This was used to play a board game called Nine Men's Morris. Two players moved their counters into the squares scratched out on the stone. It is 1,000 years old.
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• "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy"
  This is a cookery book that belonged to Robert Burns' wife, Jean. She used it in their house in Dumfries. It is 200 years old.
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• The Siller Guns of Kirkcudbright and Dumfries
  These two model guns are made of silver. They were a gift from King James VI of Scotland to the towns of Dumfries and Kirkcudbright. They were given out each year as a prize for the best shot in the town. They are 400 years old.
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• The Wreck of the "Orion"
  This is made from wood taken from the wreck of a ship. The ship was called the "Orion". She sank outside Portpatrick harbour 150 years ago.
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• Theodora and Marjorie by William Ewart Lockhart, 1885
  This is called "Theodora and Marjorie". It shows the artist's daughters who were aged six and four. This painting was made in 1885.
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• Viking Cat Skinning Trough
  This is made of lead. It is a cat skinning trough. Cat fur was a great favourite with the Vikings. They used it to make warm clothes over 900 years ago.
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• Whisky Bottle from the "Firth of Cromarty"
  This is from a shipwreck that happened at Bloody Point, Kirkcolm just 100 years ago. The ship was sailing to Australia loaded with whisky, beer, iron, crockery and clothes.
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• Wigtown Burgh Measures
  These are from Wigtown. The town council used these to check that shopkeepers gave their customers a fair deal. They are 300 years old.
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