A small group of members from the Art Appreciation and Historic Houses and Gardens groups visited the John Paul Jones cottage and museum, and Arbigland House , in the grounds of which the cottage is situated. We learned a lot about the various links from this area to the early days of the USA and its Navy - to some John Paul Jones was a hero , to others he was a pirate! The house was built in the early 18th century by William Craik, who seems to have benefitted substantially as a tax inspector by taking his permitted portion of smuggled goods. The gardens reach down to the shore, and are under a lengthy restoration process. There are some magnificent trees- we had our picnic lunch next to a huge red cedar- and we also found some wild orchids. At the main door of the house are two splendid reproduction Egyptian mummies- it turns out they are cocktail cabinets!

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