Abbotsford House Photos

Abbotsford House was built near Melrose as the home of Scottish poet & historian Sir Walter Scott. One of the earliest mansions built in Gothic style (1816-8 & 1822-4) designed by William Atkinson & Edward Blore. Additions (1850-5) were designed by William Burn. The house displays Scott's collections of Scottish historical objects.

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See Also:	Scottish Borders Dryburgh Abbey


Abbotsford House home of Sir Walter Scott. Melrose, Scotland.	Abbotsford House (1816-8 & 1822-4 + additions 1850-5). Melrose, Scotland. Architect: William Atkinson & Edward Blore + additions by William Burn.	Facade details of towers & crowstepped gables at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Facade detail of crowstepped gable & tower at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Facade details of tower & crowstepped gable at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Garden archway at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Sunken garden at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Entrance hall fireplace with Scottish collections of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Entrance hall fireplace with Gothic themes & tile lining at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Sir Walter Scott's arms collection in entrance hall at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Wood work hung with arms in entrance hall at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Wood carving of St Andrew & arms in entrance hall at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Entrance hall with Scottish arms collection of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Antique flintlock on Italian Ginvera chest (17thC) engraved with story of doomed bride at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Antique lock mechanism (17thC) at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Plaster model of skull of Robert the Bruce made when his Dumfermline tomb opened (1818) at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

The Study at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Books line the Study at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Stairs to balcony in the Study at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Sir Walter Scott's desk in the Study at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Sir Walter Scott's desk (1810) by Gillow of Lancaster in the Study at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Doorway between the Study & octagonal ante-room under corner tower at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Wood carvings on walls in octagonal tower room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Plaster bust of Wordsworth by Sir Francis Chantry at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Library at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Library at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Sir Walter Scott, son of the poet, by Sir William Allan in Library at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Library fireplace flanked by carved Italian armchairs at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Large four-sided lectern (1820-30) by Joseph Shillinglaw in library at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portuguese ebony cylinder bureau (early 19thC) in library at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Carved Italian armchair (18thC) in library at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Plaster bust of Sir Walter Scott, Bart (1820) by Sir Francis Chantry at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Library ceiling & bookcase detail at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Library ceiling carvings at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Library ceiling carvings at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Library ceiling carved corbel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

View from library window at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Drawing room with green Chinese wallpaper at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Sir Walter Scott (1809) by Sir Henry Raeburn at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Detail of portrait of Sir Walter Scott with dog (1809) by Sir Henry Raeburn at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Chandelier (1815-20) adapted for gas (1825) in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Flemish ebony table cabinet inlaid with ivory & tortoiseshell (17thC) in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Chinese wallpaper (1822) with Chinese scenes, birds, flowers & fruit in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Detail of Chinese wallpaper (1822) with Chinese scene in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Detail of Chinese wallpaper (1822) with Chinese scene in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Detail of Chinese wallpaper (1822) with Chinese scene in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Chinese export porcelain punch bowl in drawing room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Painting of Abbotsford from across Tweed (1828?) by artist of Scottish School at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Portrait of mother of Sir Walter Scott by Sir John Gordon at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Thomas Scott (1773-1823) brother of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Lady Scott (nee Charlotte Margaret Charpentier) wife of Sir Walter Scott portrait (1805) by James Saxon at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Sophia, daughter of Sir Walter Scott, & wife of John Gibson Lockhart, Esq. by Nicholson at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Portrait of Anne, 2nd daughter of Sir Walter Scott by Nicholson at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Anne, 2nd daughter of Sir Walter Scott by John Graham at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Armory with flintlock pistols & crossed swords at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of King James IV (1507) by English School at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Louis XIV strongbox at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Armory weapons collection at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Swords & bladed weapons displayed around plaque of Sir Walter Scott in armory at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Flintlock rifles in armory at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Bound gargoyle corbel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Mythical creature corbel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Fanciful figure with fancy epaulets corbel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Dining room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Dining room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Silver tea kettle on stand (1818) by S. Hougham, S. Royes & J.E. Dyx at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Pair of silver quaiches (1808) each embedded with coin from the 1500s at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Mounted buffalo horn cup (19thC) with arms of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Octagonal oak wine cooler (1819) by George Bullock of Liverpool at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Beardie Walter Scott great grandfather of Sir Walter Scott by William Aitken at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Robert Scott of Sandyknowe (1699-1775) grandfather of Sir Walter Scott by circle of David Martin at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait (1745) of Barbara Haliburton, wife of Robert Scott of Sandyknowe & grandmother of Sir Walter Scott by William De Nune at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Portrait of Walter Scott (1729-99) father of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of mother (1739-1819) of Sir Walter Scott by circle of David Allan at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Portrait of Thomas Scott (1731-1823) uncle of Sir Walter Scott by Sir Henry Raeburn at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Gothic ante-room with series of unusual corbels at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Angel playing lute on corbel in ante-room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Paintings surround corbel with musical angel in ante-room at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Bronze vessels reputedly found in 1822 at Roman fort near Kirkintilloch at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Chamfron replica of bronze age horse mask at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Leather purse & skean-dhu (sgian-dhu) which reputedly belonged to Rob Roy at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Helen Macgregor brooch wife of Rob Roy MacGregor who figured in Scott's novel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Chapel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Carved St Joseph with lilies on staff in chapel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Flemish altar-front (c1480) with Jesse Tree in chapel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Madonna & child with saints painting over gothic fireplace in chapel at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Museum & reception building at Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Displays at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Marble statuette of Sir Walter Scott by Sir John Steell at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Miniature portrait of Sir Walter Scott (c1790) by F. Roy at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Sir Walter Scott death mask (Sept. 21, 1832) at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Scott's copy of his poem "Lady of the Lake" (1810) at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.

Claverhouse Brandishing a Sword painting (19thC) subject from Scott's 5th novel Old Mortality at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	Pottery jug (c1840) with face of Sir Walter Scott at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.	"Lady of the Lake" silver centerpiece (1880-1) by Mackay, Cunningham & Co. of Edinburgh at museum of Abbotsford House. Melrose, Scotland.