Border Break 2: abbeys and towns

48 Comments
Melrose

The county of Scottish Borders is famed for its bustling towns and beautiful abbey ruins. We didn’t explore any of these as much as we might usually have done for two reasons. First, when we were in the towns we were usually with Mum and therefore limited by how far a nonagenarian could walk and, second, the abbeys were closed when we were there. This wasn’t because of Covid – Historic Scotland, which looks after them, was checking all the masonry. I’m more than happy not to have lumps of stone falling on my head, so I class this as a good thing.

Melrose

Melrose is a bustling little town (see its main street above) clustered around the pink sandstone ruins of its abbey, which was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks. I was pleased to find a women’s history plaque on our brief stroll.

Melrose Abbey
Garden in Melrose
Ormiston Institute, Melrose
Helen Spence plaque, Melrose

Selkirk

Selkirk is another typical Borders town, which we explored a bit more thoroughly than the others. It’s built around its market place, where you can see it proudly proclaims itself to be the home of the original Selkirk Bannock. We were lucky enough to be provided with one of these in the welcome pack in our cottage – it’s a rich and buttery leavened tea bread.

The nearby Pant Well was originally constructed in 1706 to improve the quality of the town’s water supply: in 1715 a trough (pant) was added to catch the overflow and in 1728 a dial, statue and town coat of arms were incorporated. The structure was rebuilt in 1898 with an image of Queen Victoria displayed above the fountain and included the coat of arms from the original one. On the left side of the well are the names of the local men who fought in the Boer War.

Pant Well
Pant Well
Pant Well

Next to the well stands a memorial to Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), a Scottish historical novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Scott was also Sheriff (judge) of Selkirk and  dispensed justice from 1799 for over thirty years from the courtroom in the old Town Hall behind his statue.

Walter Scott statue
Scott’s Courtroom
Scott’s Courtroom
Scott’s Courtroom
Scott’s Courtroom

A contemporary of Scott’s was the explorer Mungo Park (1771-1806) who was born near Selkirk. A monument to him is further along the street.

Mungo Park statue
Mungo Park statue
Mungo Park statue
Mungo Park statue
Mungo Park statue
Mungo Park statue

A couple of other small memorials caught our eye. The bronze bust marks the birthplace of the artist Tom Scott RSA (1854 – 1927), the son of a local tailor. The County Hotel, an early 19th century coaching inn, has a life size statue of Red Dog Souter, a successful greyhound owned in the 19th century by the proprietor, above the door.

Tom Scott birthplace
Tom Scott bust
County Hotel

Jedburgh

Jedburgh is another abbey town, but we only stopped here briefly for coffee, so just the one picture – however, as a bonus, here I am at the abbey a few 😉 years ago when I was aged about 11.

Jedburgh Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey c1968

Kelso

Kelso was a brief stop too. It also has an abbey, and an octagonal Old Parish Church. The white building is Spread Eagle House, another early 19th century coaching inn but, unlike Selkirk’s County Hotel, it has been converted into flats. We had a holiday rental here some years ago, which wasn’t an unalloyed success – however, checking online, I find it has been much upgraded since.

Spread Eagle House
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Old Parish Church

After that brief jaunt around some Borders town, next time we’ll move out to the countryside – with more about Sir Walter Scott.

Scotland, UK , , , ,

48 Comments »

  1. What wonderful small towns to get lost in. I would love to walk those streets and see the Abbeys. I’m glad there is a memorial to the men in the Boer War which, I think, has long been forgotten. Love the pic of you at 11 yrs old.

    Like

  3. Haven’t visited many border towns but it looks like there is so much to see. May be worth a trip. Really like the name Mungo Park though. He sounds like someone special doesn’t he?

    Like

  5. I rather like the Borders. I’ve only been in the area a few times but it’s quiet with nice countryside and some interesting small towns. A revisit is probably overdue.
    I’m glad you were able to write up this trip. It can be difficult when you’ve lost someone dear but it’s good that you can look back and remember some time spent with your Mum

    Like

    • Thanks, yes, with the passage of time I can now look back on it more positively. Still not tackling the pile of photo albums and other items of Mum’s history that are piled in my hall though! The Borders is a lovely area, and I think we will go back on our own sometime to explore it more fully than we could this time. It’s a long time since we’ve done that.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Hi Anabel – what an interesting introduction to a few of the border towns – fascinating … and it looks to be a gorgeous time for you both – thank you – Hilary

    Like

  9. A true gallivant, Anabel! Good to see so many lovely pics. I just love all the historic sites you are surrounded with. Thanks for sharing the childhood photo, too. We never really lose those times and feelings, even if we might forget them.

    Like

  10. Lovely towns. One of the great joys of outdoor walking for me, after bagging hills for years with various clubs, was solo exploring the East Coast, Fife, and the Scottish Borders where all the real history, architecture, rich farmland, better weather and communities exist.
    A different world from the much bleaker sparsely populated Highlands. Good that you have a partner to share it with as all my friends are totally single minded list tickers to this day with no interest at all in anything else outdoors and just look at me as if to say- ” What’s wrong with that man… why does he like cities, towns, villages etc? whereas I think ” I wish they’d change THEIR thinking sometimes and come with me.”.But it never happens.

    Like

    • I didn’t see anything to indicate Selkirk was in Outlander, so I just checked their website and there’s no mention – I’m sure they’d make the most of it if it had been a location. I know some of the old Fife towns were used, Culross and Falkland, and they probably look similar.

      Like

  14. Selkirk definitely wins the prize for the most well-known local sons (and daughters). I didn’t realise Mungo Park was from there, too.
    Good tour, Anabel 🙂

    Like

  15. Isn’t it amazing how much fascinating history can be found in all small towns. And Jedburgh is of special interest to me today because I’ve just come back from lunch with a friend who drove up there to buy either a slate fireplace slab or an oak piece to set in the chimney breast to make a sort of mantle (I can’t remember which). She’s renovating her house and is quite passionate about finding certain things for it, both items are handmade by old family firms.

    Like

  18. I know Jedburgh quite well. It’s a good toasted teacake spot in the rain, and it always seemed to rain when we went there. I have sunnier memories of lovely Melrose, but only dim recollection of Selkirk and Kelso. Shame on me! They were quite close.

    Like

  21. So many beautiful Borders towns. The women’s history plaque is a good spot, I’ve not heard of Catherine Helen Spence but shall look her up.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Some interesting little towns there, I like the look of Melrose’s main street and the plaque on the Mungo Park statue is lovely. Kelso Old Parish Church is an unusual shape, I’d love to have a look round in there – and you haven’t changed a bit 🙂 🙂

    Like