Habbie Simpson (1550–1620) was the town

piper Piper may refer to: People * Piper (given name) * Piper (surname) Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Comics * Piper (Morlock), in the Marvel Universe * Piper (Mutate), in the Marvel Universe Television * Piper Chapman, lea ...

in the Scottish village of

Kilbarchan Kilbarchan ( gd, Cill Bhearchain) is a village and civil parish in central Renfrewshire, in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The village's name means "cell (chapel) of St. Barchan". It is known for its former weaving industry. History ...

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () ( sco, Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfr ...

. Today Simpson is chiefly known as the subject of the poem the ''Lament for Habbie Simpson'' (also known as ''The life and death of the piper of Kilbarchan''). Inhabitants of Kilbarchan are informally known as "Habbies" to this day. The ''Lament for Habbie Simpson'', written by

Robert Sempill the younger Robert Sempill, the younger (1595?–1663?), Scottish poet, son of James Sempill, was educated at the University of Glasgow, having matriculated in March 1613. During the Civil War he fought for the Stuarts, and seems to have suffered heavy ...

, was the first notable poem written in the form known as "standard Habbie", or Burns stanza. The Burns stanza was widely used by Burns and

Robert Fergusson Robert Fergusson (5 September 1750 – 16 October 1774) was a Scottish poet. After formal education at the University of St Andrews, Fergusson led a bohemian life in Edinburgh, the city of his birth, then at the height of intellectual and c ...

in their poems. Kilbarchan's Steeple Building has an exterior niche which contains a statue of Simpson. The original statue was carved in wood by Archibald Robertson of Greenock and placed in the niche in 1822. The current statue, dating from 1932, is made of bronze and it replaced the original statue. During Kilbarchan's annual Lilias Day celebrations, it is customary for the piper to dress up as Habbie Simpson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Habbie Great Highland bagpipe players People associated with Renfrewshire 1550 births 1620 deaths 16th-century Scottish musicians 17th-century Scottish musicians