The thatched cottage where Hugh was born in 1802 was built by Hugh's pirate great grandfather, while the handsome Georgian villa, now an interactive museum, was built by his father. Outside, Miller’s Yard Garden of Wonders is a beautiful place to take a breath of fresh air.
Take an audio tour around the cottage where Hugh Miller was born and the garden where he played as a child. It is full of vivid descriptions – many in Hugh’s own words – of the building, his ancestors and his boyhood memories. Outside, Lydia Garden features an ornate sundial pedestal carved by Hugh.
The museum next door contains artefacts relating to Hugh’s life, including some of his outstanding fossil discoveries, his manuscripts, shepherd’s plaid and mason’s mallet. Behind the museum is Miller’s Yard: Garden of Wonders, where there is much to discover about natural history, including ‘giant fossils’.
Light refreshments are available and a stall in the cobbled courtyard sells locally grown plants. The gift shop sells a great range of souvenirs, including books, minerals and gems, and fossils.
