[10] Robert had written a letter to his friend Patrick Miller, on 20 October 1787: I want to be a farmer in a small farm, about a plough-gang, in a pleasant country, under the auspices of a good landlord.

The banks of the Nith are as sweet poetic ground as any I ever saw; and besides, Sir, 'tis but justice to the feelings of my own heart and the opinion of my best friends, to say that I would wish to call you landlord sooner than any landed gentleman I know… Burns did not begin farming work until 11 June 1788.

[13] In December Jean came down to Nithsdale and stayed rent free with Robert at the Isle, the country house of David Newall, a Dumfries lawyer.

[17] Jean was said to be a good and prudent housewife, kept everything in neat and tidy order, was well liked by the servants and provided plenty of wholesome food.

[19] Burns' sons Francis Wallace and William Nicol were born at Ellisland Farm, and their half-sister Betty (daughter of Helen Anne Park of Dumfries[20]) spent the first months of her life here too.

For a time Robert's youngest brother William lived at Ellisland until he got a job as an apprentice saddler near Carlisle.

In the west end there was a 'company' room, and in the east a sitting-room, with a window in the gable giving fine views of the surroundings.

Alexander Crombie was the stonemason and Thomas Boyd was the architect, the completion being much delayed and the account not settled until two months before Burns left Ellisland.

The plan of the present house is practically that of the original and although it is said that Burns's cottage was pulled down in 1812, it is likely that the main portion of the walls stand as they did in 1788.

[24] The 69 hectares / 170 acres of land at Ellisland, rented at £50 per annum for the first three years and seventy for the remainder of the lease,[25] were neglected, stony, infertile, poorly dressed and badly drained.

Burns is said to have been the first to introduce Ayrshire cattle to Dumfrieshire and other farmers soon followed his lead once the significantly higher milk yield became apparent.

At Martinmas, 11 November 1791, the Burns family left Ellisland Farm and moved into the town of Dumfries six miles (10 km) away.

Burns's favourite line from Pope An honest man's the noblest work of God, was engraved on a window pane, although this was vandalised with a piece of flint about March 1876.

[30] After meeting and befriending Captain Francis Grose (1731–91) at Friars' Carse, Burns agreed to write a poem in exchange for the author including Kirk Alloway in his new book on Scottish Antiquities.

[33] During his relatively short stay at Ellisland, Burns wrote over 130 songs and poems, which amounts to about a quarter of his total output.

[34] The drinking song Willie Brew'd a Peck o'Maut was written during this time, set to music by Allan Masterton.

William's daughter Jean (1775–1808) was a frequent visitor to Ellisland and Burns wrote about twenty-four songs for this lass of the lintwhite locks.

The pair were instantly attracted to each other and for a time they met frequently, talked and wrote letters to one another using the names 'Clarinda' for Nancy and 'Sylvander' for Burns.

Burns often used the building in this idyllic setting for writing poetry, having been given the key and apparently also enjoying drinking sessions with Robert Riddell.

Life is but a day at most, Sprung from night – in darkness lost; Hope not sunshine ev'ry hour, Fear not clouds will always lour."

[41] Friars' Carse at one time held the original Burns manuscripts The Whistle and Lines Written in the Hermitage.

[43] On 16 October 1789 at Friar's Carse, Burns was a witness to a famous drinking contest where the participants set out to see who could be the last man able to blow a whistle.

[44] On 14 October 1788 Robert Burns is said to have witnessed the trials of Patrick Miller's paddle driven steamboat on the nearby Dalswinton Loch in the company of Sandy Crombie, who was a local builder working at Ellisland.

[50] Burns apparently left his favourite putting stone at Ellisland and if he saw anyone using it he would call "Bide a wee" and join in the sport, always proving that he was the strongest man there.

Until 1921 Ellisland was farmed, at which point it was purchased by John Wilson, former President of Edinburgh Burns Club, who gave it to the nation.