Rabbie’s roads

Robert Burns did much more than just rouse a nation with his poetry; he inspired hundreds of British addresses.

Our latest research reveals that his legacy extends to the naming of 724 streets across the UK, with around 272 of the nation’s towns and cities containing at least one address inspired by the iconic poet and his works.

On Burns Night, our address management unit analysed more than 30 million addresses to reveal the extent of Scotland’s national poet’s impact on the country’s domestic psyche. Although 42% of Burns-related streets are in Scotland, the spirit of ‘Rabbie’ is very much felt across the rest of the UK – with 338 separate Burns Road, Avenue, Close and Lane addresses stretching from Cheadle to Cwmbran and Coventry.

The top 20 ‘Robert Burns hotspots of the UK’ are as follows:

1. Glasgow (72 street names)
2. Ayr (25)
3. London (19)
4. Greenock (16)
5. Mauchline (16)
6. Clydebank (14)
7. Edinburgh (13)
8. Stirling (12)
9. Kilmarnock (10)
10. Manchester (10)
11. Bathgate (9)
12. Mansfield (9)
13. Dumfries (8)
14. Dundee (8)
15. Nottingham (8)
16. Sheffield (8)
17. Ardrossan (7)
18. Doncaster (7)
19. Rotherham (7)
20. Saltcoats (7)

Other than the man himself, the various homes that he lived in throughout his life are a primary source of inspiration (121); including 14 ‘Lochlea’ and 16 ‘Mosgiel’ related addresses in Glasgow, and five ‘Mount Oliphant’ in Ayr. The women in his life have also proven to be muses for the nation’s street names;with 76 streets related to ‘Clarinda’ (Agnes Craig), ‘Jean Armour’ and ‘Mary Campbell’ dotted around our fair isle. 

Some other fascinating facts unearthed by the research include:

• Several addresses are influenced by some of the poet’s most iconic verses, including ‘Auld Lang Signs’ graphic designers in Irvine, Red Rose Lane in Pentre, Wales and Tam O’Shanter Drive in Stirling.
• Some of the most surprising ‘Rabbie Hotspots’ include seven ‘Burns Road’ addresses in Wellingborough, four ‘Burns Way’ in Rotherham and five ‘Robert Burns Avenues’ in Cheltenham.
• ‘Burns Road’ addresses exist all over London, including three in Willesden, five in Clapham and one in Perivale. There is also a ‘Robert Burns Mews’ in Herne Hill.
• There are various street names around the country shaped by the more culinary aspects of Burns Night; including Haggis Gap in Cambridge, Neeps Croft in Nottingham and Dundee’s Old Whisky Road.

Head of our address management unit, Steve Rooney, said: ‘We deliver mail to more than 30 million addresses, six days a week, which puts us in the unique position of having direct access to all the amazing street names across Britain.

‘It’s no secret that Robert Burns and his poems form an enormous part of Scottish history and identity; but it’s fascinating to see that his legacy is felt so profoundly across the entire country.’

This week Royal Mail has been marking the celebration of Robert Burns’ birth with a special Burns Night postmark, featuring the first two lines of his famous Address to a Haggis.