Abbotsford

Abbotsford is a historic house in Melrose and the former home of the novelist Sir Walter Scott where he lived, wrote and died. Abbotsford is located in the middle of a wonderful landscape at the foot of Eldon Hill, romantically positioned at the shore of River Tweed.  Sir Walter Scott used to call Abbotsford ‘Conundrum Castle’. He managed to pay the castle out of his novels though there were periods when the property was managed by creditors.

Scott bought the 100 acres of land with an existing five-room farm-house called Cartleyhole in 1811 and renamed it Abbotsford. The novelist started living there in 1812 together his wife and five children. A few years later he started adding new rooms to the existing house. The main building of Abbotsford he constructed in 1817. The old farm-house is long gone and a more majestic and aristocratic home was raised by 1825.

Abbotsford is the place where Scott wrote some of his best works like Rob Roy‘, ‘The Heart of Midlothian’ and ‘Ivanhoe’. The house is currently owned by the novelist’s descendants who take strict care of the library with 20,000 books and the study room of the writer with his desk and chair. Abbotsford also keeps his much praised collection of historical items like a crucifix that belonged to Queen Mary, some of Rob Roy`s private possessions, Montrose and so on.