Joseph Thomson, a famous explorer of Africa, was born in this cottage in 1858. When his father bought the house in 1856, he used his master building skills to add a cantilever staircase to access two bedrooms which he developed in the roof space to accommodate his five sons. On ground floor there is a box bedroom where Thomson was born and a room reserved for the Heritage of Penpont, Keir and Tynron .

Outwith the cottage there is a wash-house, an outside boiler and sandstone steps leading to an annexe which was built as an armoury for the Penpont Rifle Volunteers (1860-1885). In the back garden there is still a pigsty and a privy.

The cottage was home to Mrs. Jean Carson for 70 years and has changed little since the Thomson's occupied it from 1856-1868.

Because Jean was proud to be in Thomson`s birthplace, she willingly welcomed parties of schoolchildren in the 80s and 90s . She explained its unique features and showed how she swept her own chimney using a whale bone brush she had bought for 30 shillings. Even at 95 she was willing to be photographed and filmed and, as a result, the idea was born of, one day, converting this cottage into a Heritage Centre.

As such, it was officially opened in 2013 by the Duke of Buccleuch who has leased the property to the community at a nominal rent.

Sophia Harkness MBE FRSGS

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