Abbotsford House
Encyclopedia
Abbotsford is a historic house
in the region of the Scottish Borders
in the south of Scotland
, near Melrose
, on the south bank of the River Tweed
. It was formerly the residence of historical novel
ist and poet
, Walter Scott
. It is a Category A Listed Building.
The nucleus of the estate was a small farm of 110 acre (0.4451546 km²), called Cartleyhole, nicknamed Clarty (i.e., muddy) Hole, and was bought by Scott on the lapse of his lease (1811) of the neighbouring house of Ashestiel. He first built a small villa and named it Abbotsford, creating the name from a ford nearby where previously abbot
s of Melrose Abbey
used to cross the river. Scott then built additions to the house and made it into a mansion, building into the walls many sculptured stones from ruined castles and abbeys of Scotland. In it he gathered a large library, a collection of ancient furniture
, arms and armour, and other relics and curiosities, especially connected with Scottish history, notably the Celtic Torrs Pony-cap and Horns
and the Woodwrae Stone
, all now in the Museum of Scotland.
The last and principal acquisition was that of Toftfield (afterwards named Huntlyburn), purchased in 1817. The new house was then begun and completed in 1824.
The general ground-plan is a parallelogram, with irregular outlines, one side overlooking the Tweed. Abbotsford’s picturesque and irregular architecture is the progenitor of the Scottish Baronial style of architecture in which identifiably Scottish precedents and elements
of architecture, including steeply pitched slate roofs, turrets, bartizans, and crowstepped
gables reminiscent of ancient castles, keeps and fortified houses, are used
to evoke a sense of national identify. Into various parts of the fabric were built relics and curiosities from historical structures, such as the doorway of the old Tolbooth
in Edinburgh
.
Abbotsford’s interiors are essentially unchanged since Scott’s time and are now, possibly, the best-preserved suite of late Georgian interiors in Scotland. The decorative painting was carried out by David Ramsay Hay
, a protégé of Scott. Abbotsford’s interiors are exemplars of the Romantic period defined in part by the objects they contain and in part by the motives of those who created them.
While Scott is known as a writer, his surmounting interest, which gave him the most pleasure, was gardening
. At Abbotsford, Sir Walter created enclosed gardens and parkland to complement the house, and laid out the largely unimproved land to form an extended wooded agricultural landscape, that remains uniquely adapted to its Tweedside setting. Historic Scotland
has classified the landscape and gardens created by Scott as of outstanding aesthetic, scenic and architectural importance, and, as the creation of Scott, of international significance. Scott wrote on tree planting and landscape gardening and kept detailed records of his landscaping at Abbotsford, all of which add significantly to the historical value of the Abbotsford Estate. His landscape design at Abbotsford influenced many of his peers and neighbours, informing garden design across the UK.
The house at Abbotsford stands at the top and south east side of a terraced slope, which was shaped from the natural gravel escarpment that rises to a height of 12 metres above the Tweed. On the south east side, Scott created a formal entrance courtyard, the first of three enclosed garden spaces, each enclosed by high walls. To the north and extending westwards from the north side of the house, Scott's descendents developed the Morris Garden and the impressive kitchen garden.
Much of the gardens and landscape remain as they were in the time of Sir Walter, with some modest additions and alterations. This, coupled with the association with Scott, make the Gardens at Abbotsford among the most historically important in the UK.
Scott had only enjoyed his residence one year when (1825) he met with that reverse of fortune which involved the estate in debt. In 1830 the library and museum were presented to him as a free gift by the creditors. The property was wholly disencumbered in 1847 by Robert Cadell
, the publisher, who cancelled the bond upon it in exchange for the family's share in the copyright of Sir Walter's works.
Scott's only son Walter did not live to enjoy the property, having died on his way from India
in 1847. Among subsequent possessors were Scott's son-in-law, John Gibson Lockhart
, J. R. Hope Scott
, Q.C., and his daughter (Scott's great-granddaughter), the Hon. Mrs Maxwell Scott.
Abbotsford gave its name to the "Abbotsford Club", a successor of the Bannatyne
and Maitland clubs, founded by William Barclay Turnbull
in 1834 in Scott's honour, for printing and publishing historical works connected with his writings. Its publications extended from 1835 to 1864.
Abbotsford opened to the public in 1833 (a year after the death of Scott, and among the first historic houses to become a public attraction) and from the outset, it was a huge hit with visitors. This resulted in his descendents extending the house and adapting the garden and landscape to cope with the huge numbers that visited. These early adaptations are considered to be of significant historical value in terms of the history of tourism in the United Kingdom.
Scott's descendants continued to live in the house until 2004. The last of his direct descendants to inhabit Abbotsford was his great-great-great-granddaughter Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott (8 June 1923 - 5 May 2004). She inherited it from her elder sister Patricia in 1998. The sisters turned the house into one of Scotland's premier tourist attractions after they had to rely on paying visitors to afford the upkeep of the house. It had electricity installed only in 1962. Dame Jean was at one time a lady-in-waiting to Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
, patron of the Dandie Dinmont
Club, a breed of dog named after one of Sir Walter Scott's characters; and a horse trainer, one of whose horses, Sir Wattie, ridden by Ian Stark, won two silver medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
, South Korea
.
Following the death of Dame Jean Maxwell Scott, a charitable trust, the Abbotsford Trust (Charity No SCO37425) was established to safeguard the house for current and future generations. The trust embarked upon an ambitious £10 million campaign to save Abbotsford in 2009. This campaign will see the repair and restoration of the house and grounds and the creation of a new visitor centre. The visitor centre will feature a permanent and free to access exhibition on the life and works of Sir Walter Scott. It is envisaged that this redevelopment work will be completed in early 2013.
In keeping with its many Walter Scott references, Rose Street in Edinburgh has a bar called the "Kenilworth
", along with one named the "Abbotsford".
Sir Walter Scott rescued the "jougs
" from Threave Castle
in Dumfries and Galloway
and attached them to the castellated gateway he built at Abbotsford.
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Historic house
A historic house can be a stately home, the birthplace of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history or architecture.- Background :...
in the region of the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
in the south of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, near Melrose
Melrose
-Scotland:* Melrose, Scotland , a town in the Scottish Borders** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery** Melrose RFC, rugby club** Melrose Golf Club-Australia:* Melrose, South Australia, a town in the southern Flinders Ranges...
, on the south bank of the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
. It was formerly the residence of historical novel
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
ist and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
. It is a Category A Listed Building.
The nucleus of the estate was a small farm of 110 acre (0.4451546 km²), called Cartleyhole, nicknamed Clarty (i.e., muddy) Hole, and was bought by Scott on the lapse of his lease (1811) of the neighbouring house of Ashestiel. He first built a small villa and named it Abbotsford, creating the name from a ford nearby where previously abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
s of Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
used to cross the river. Scott then built additions to the house and made it into a mansion, building into the walls many sculptured stones from ruined castles and abbeys of Scotland. In it he gathered a large library, a collection of ancient furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, arms and armour, and other relics and curiosities, especially connected with Scottish history, notably the Celtic Torrs Pony-cap and Horns
Torrs Pony-cap and Horns
The Torrs Horns and Torrs Pony-cap are Iron Age bronze pieces now in the National Museum of Scotland, which were found together, but whose relationship is one of many questions about these "famous and controversial" objects that continue to be debated by scholars...
and the Woodwrae Stone
Woodwrae Stone
The Woodwrae Stone is a Class II Pictish Stone that was found in 1819 when the foundations of the old castle at Woodwrae, Angus, Scotland were cleared. It had been reused as a floor slab in the kitchen of the castle. Following its removal from the castle, it was donated to the collection of Sir...
, all now in the Museum of Scotland.
The last and principal acquisition was that of Toftfield (afterwards named Huntlyburn), purchased in 1817. The new house was then begun and completed in 1824.
The general ground-plan is a parallelogram, with irregular outlines, one side overlooking the Tweed. Abbotsford’s picturesque and irregular architecture is the progenitor of the Scottish Baronial style of architecture in which identifiably Scottish precedents and elements
of architecture, including steeply pitched slate roofs, turrets, bartizans, and crowstepped
gables reminiscent of ancient castles, keeps and fortified houses, are used
to evoke a sense of national identify. Into various parts of the fabric were built relics and curiosities from historical structures, such as the doorway of the old Tolbooth
Old Tolbooth, Edinburgh
The Old Tolbooth was a medieval building located on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland.Demolished in 1817, the Tolbooth served various purposes during its existence. It housed early meetings of the Estates of Scotland, Court of Session, and also of the Provost and Burgesses of the Burgh Council...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Abbotsford’s interiors are essentially unchanged since Scott’s time and are now, possibly, the best-preserved suite of late Georgian interiors in Scotland. The decorative painting was carried out by David Ramsay Hay
David Ramsay Hay
David Ramsay Hay , Scottish decorator and colour theorist.David Ramsay Hay was the son of a published poet and friend of Robert Burns, Rebekah Carmichael. After her husband died, David was educated at the expense of an uncle, then apprenticed as a painter with the house-painters Gavin Beugo &...
, a protégé of Scott. Abbotsford’s interiors are exemplars of the Romantic period defined in part by the objects they contain and in part by the motives of those who created them.
While Scott is known as a writer, his surmounting interest, which gave him the most pleasure, was gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
. At Abbotsford, Sir Walter created enclosed gardens and parkland to complement the house, and laid out the largely unimproved land to form an extended wooded agricultural landscape, that remains uniquely adapted to its Tweedside setting. Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
has classified the landscape and gardens created by Scott as of outstanding aesthetic, scenic and architectural importance, and, as the creation of Scott, of international significance. Scott wrote on tree planting and landscape gardening and kept detailed records of his landscaping at Abbotsford, all of which add significantly to the historical value of the Abbotsford Estate. His landscape design at Abbotsford influenced many of his peers and neighbours, informing garden design across the UK.
The house at Abbotsford stands at the top and south east side of a terraced slope, which was shaped from the natural gravel escarpment that rises to a height of 12 metres above the Tweed. On the south east side, Scott created a formal entrance courtyard, the first of three enclosed garden spaces, each enclosed by high walls. To the north and extending westwards from the north side of the house, Scott's descendents developed the Morris Garden and the impressive kitchen garden.
Much of the gardens and landscape remain as they were in the time of Sir Walter, with some modest additions and alterations. This, coupled with the association with Scott, make the Gardens at Abbotsford among the most historically important in the UK.
Scott had only enjoyed his residence one year when (1825) he met with that reverse of fortune which involved the estate in debt. In 1830 the library and museum were presented to him as a free gift by the creditors. The property was wholly disencumbered in 1847 by Robert Cadell
Robert Cadell
Robert Cadell was a bookseller and publisher closely associated with Sir Walter Scott. He was born at Cockenzie, East Lothian, Scotland, the fifth son of John Cadell, a Laird of Cockenzie, and Marie Buchan, his wife....
, the publisher, who cancelled the bond upon it in exchange for the family's share in the copyright of Sir Walter's works.
Scott's only son Walter did not live to enjoy the property, having died on his way from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1847. Among subsequent possessors were Scott's son-in-law, John Gibson Lockhart
John Gibson Lockhart
John Gibson Lockhart , was a Scottish writer and editor. He is best known as the author of the definitive "Life" of Sir Walter Scott...
, J. R. Hope Scott
James Hope-Scott
James Robert Hope-Scott was a British barrister and Tractarian.-Early life and conversion:Born at Great Marlow, in the county of Buckinghamshire, and christened James Robert Hope, he was the third son of Sir Alexander Hope, and grandson of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun...
, Q.C., and his daughter (Scott's great-granddaughter), the Hon. Mrs Maxwell Scott.
Abbotsford gave its name to the "Abbotsford Club", a successor of the Bannatyne
Bannatyne Club
The Bannatyne Club was founded by Sir Walter Scott to print rare works of Scottish interest, whether in history, poetry, or general literature. It printed 116 volumes in all. It was dissolved in 1861....
and Maitland clubs, founded by William Barclay Turnbull
William Barclay Turnbull
William Barclay David Donald Turnbull was a Scottish antiquary, born at Edinburgh. He studied law, and was admitted as an advocate at the Scottish bar 1832, but devoted much time to the study of the antiquities and older literature of Great Britain. In 1834, he founded the Abbotsford Club, which...
in 1834 in Scott's honour, for printing and publishing historical works connected with his writings. Its publications extended from 1835 to 1864.
Abbotsford opened to the public in 1833 (a year after the death of Scott, and among the first historic houses to become a public attraction) and from the outset, it was a huge hit with visitors. This resulted in his descendents extending the house and adapting the garden and landscape to cope with the huge numbers that visited. These early adaptations are considered to be of significant historical value in terms of the history of tourism in the United Kingdom.
Scott's descendants continued to live in the house until 2004. The last of his direct descendants to inhabit Abbotsford was his great-great-great-granddaughter Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott (8 June 1923 - 5 May 2004). She inherited it from her elder sister Patricia in 1998. The sisters turned the house into one of Scotland's premier tourist attractions after they had to rely on paying visitors to afford the upkeep of the house. It had electricity installed only in 1962. Dame Jean was at one time a lady-in-waiting to Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife and then widow of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of George V and Queen Mary.The daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry, Scotland’s largest landowner, her brothers Walter and...
, patron of the Dandie Dinmont
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small Scottish breed of dog in the terrier family. The breed has a very long body, short legs, and a distinctive "top-knot" of hair on the head. A character in Sir Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering has lent the name to the breed, with "Dandie Dinmont" thought to be...
Club, a breed of dog named after one of Sir Walter Scott's characters; and a horse trainer, one of whose horses, Sir Wattie, ridden by Ian Stark, won two silver medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
Following the death of Dame Jean Maxwell Scott, a charitable trust, the Abbotsford Trust (Charity No SCO37425) was established to safeguard the house for current and future generations. The trust embarked upon an ambitious £10 million campaign to save Abbotsford in 2009. This campaign will see the repair and restoration of the house and grounds and the creation of a new visitor centre. The visitor centre will feature a permanent and free to access exhibition on the life and works of Sir Walter Scott. It is envisaged that this redevelopment work will be completed in early 2013.
In keeping with its many Walter Scott references, Rose Street in Edinburgh has a bar called the "Kenilworth
Kenilworth (novel)
Kenilworth. A Romance is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, first published on 8 January 1821.-Plot introduction:Kenilworth is apparently set in 1575, and centers on the secret marriage of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Amy Robsart, daughter of Sir Hugh Robsart...
", along with one named the "Abbotsford".
Sir Walter Scott rescued the "jougs
Jougs
The jougs, juggs, or joggs is an instrument of punishment formerly in use in Scotland, the Netherlands and other countries.- Purpose :...
" from Threave Castle
Threave Castle
Threave Castle is situated on an island in the River Dee, 2.5 km west of Castle Douglas, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland...
in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
and attached them to the castellated gateway he built at Abbotsford.
External links
- Abbotsford - The Home of Sir Walter Scott - official site
- RCAHMS / CANMORE site record for Abbotsford House
- Edinburgh University Library
- Facebook Page for Abbotsford
- Abbotsford (by W S Crockett - 1904 illustrated book pub. A & C Black)
- Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey by Washington IrvingWashington IrvingWashington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
, from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
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