⌂ Tweedbank, Melrose 3 Tweedbank @ X62, 72, Abbotsford Minibus from Tweedbank Station # Mar & Nov: 10am–4pm; Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm ∑ scottsabbotsford.com
Few houses bear the stamp of their creator so intimately as Abbotsford House, the home of Georgian Scotland’s greatest author, Sir Walter Scott, for the final 20 years of his life. The Place is adorned with arms and armour and Scott spared no expense in converting what was a humble farmhouse by the Tweed into this fabulous baronial home, complete with towers, turrets and grand halls.
Experience Southern Scotland
t Impressive interior of the celebrated Abbotsford Library
Walter Scott bought a farm here in 1811, known as Clarteyhole (“dirty hole” in Borders Scots), though he soon renamed it Abbotsford, in memory of the monks of Melrose Abbey. He demolished the house to make way for the turreted building we see today, its construction funded by the sales of his novels.
Rob Roy’s claymore is among the prized mementoes displayed in Scott’s majestic home, where suits of armour and fearsome weaponry decorate the Great Hall. A treasury of rare books and memorabilia reflects his passion for a romanticized version of Scotland’s history, showcasing relics of the Stuarts including a richly adorned crucifix owned by Mary, Queen of Scots, and a lock of Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s hair. The study where Scott wrote many of his novels is a shrine to his prodigious literary output. Surrounding the house, the 120-acre Abbotsford Estate was laid out by Scott himself, and now boasts an award-winning visitor centre, beautiful formal gardens, extensive forest trails and family-friendly activity areas for all ages.
t Abbotsford House surrounded by beautiful floral gardens
9,000
The number of rare books that fill the shelves of the library at Abbotsford House.
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) penned around 30 novels, 20 histories and biographies, and a dozen anthologies of verse, starting with Waverley in 1814. A heartfelt royalist, he stage-managed George IV’s tour of Scotland in 1822 and was rewarded with a knighthood. His novels inspired other creative spirits, such as Donizetti, who turned one of Scott’s tales into the opera Lucia di Lammermoor. Today, he’s best remembered for Rob Roy, his swashbuckling saga of a Highland outlaw.