A rare surviving cast-iron statue of Robert Burns, which was discovered in a compost heap in the 1950s in Durban, has made its way to its new home in Stirling.

The statue had been in Cape Town but was lost and forgotten until it was happily rediscovered under a compost heap in a garden in Durban.

The statue remained in South Africa until it was purchased by Paul and Alexandra Morris in 2013, who organised for the statue to be shipped back to Scotland.

The statue was designed by the eminent sculptor David Watson Stevenson and originally cast at the famous McFarlane’s Foundry in Glasgow prior to the First World War.

The foundry had a reputation for producing high quality pieces of work, many of which are now considered to be of major historical importance.

After its rediscovery, the statue was carefully transported back to the Morris’ home in Alloway.

There, ‘Rusty Rabbie’ was sympathetically restored, including lead testing on flakes of paint to confirm the original colour.

It has now been re-painted with colours that reflect the original finish from when it left the McFarlane’s Foundry around 1900.

After enjoying sharing their home with Rabbie and giving talks about his discovery at Burns Clubs and historical societies, Paul and Alexandra Morris decided the time was right for him to move on to a place where he would be fully appreciated.

He will now be used for educational purposes at the Engine Shed in Stirling, after the couple kindly donated him to Historic Environment Scotland.

Alexandra said: “We wanted to find a safe secure home for the statue, and after seeing how beautifully Rabbie was curated at the Engine Shed, we are delighted with our decision.”

The statue will be on display at the Engine Shed as part of the site’s Doors Open Days weekend. 

(Image: Historic Environment Scotland)

Visitors will be able to learn about the innovative iron founders competing to make the best metalwork and the traditional metalworking techniques they used.

Eagle-eyed visitors may even see evidence of sculptor David Stevenson’s skill when crafting the statue of Rabbie Burns.

Rachael Dorman, Technical Education and Training Programme Delivery Manager at HES, said: “We are excited to open our doors on September 21 and 22 to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how Scotland is at the forefront of conservation and heritage research.

“We’re particularly pleased to unveil the cast-iron statue of Robert Burns, which is fascinating both for its confounding history and as likely the only surviving example of its kind.

"We’re grateful to Paul and Alexandra for their generous donation, and the way in which this statue was made can teach us much.  

"We hope this intriguing representation of our national poet will inspire visitors to learn more about the history and legacy of ironwork in Scotland.”

Entry is free however booking is essential as spaces for each session are limited. For more information and to book, visit engineshed.scot.