Latest Posts
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Abb Fab: More from Marie Louise - Luxury, Shopping and Life at Abbotsford
30 September 2026
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Abb Fab: Abbotsford’s Very Own ‘Dollar Princess’? - Marie-Louise Maxwell Scott
10 September 2026
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Blog
Abb Fab: More from Marie Louise - Luxury, Shopping and Life at Abbotsford
30 September 2026
This September, our Abb Fab woman is Marie-Louise, whose life at Abbotsford gives us a fascinating glimpse into the people, tastes and everyday details behind this extraordinary house...Read On
Abb Fab: Abbotsford’s Very Own ‘Dollar Princess’? - Marie-Louise Maxwell Scott
10 September 2026
The extraordinary adventures of Marie-Louise St Paul de Sincay Logan, aka Lady Maxwell-ScottRead On
Queen Victoria’s visit to Abbotsford in 1867
22 August 2026
Heritage and Community Manager, Dr Matt Thompson, dives into Queen Victoria’s 1867 visit to Abbotsford and the enduring influence Sir Walter Scott had on her love affair with Scotland...Read On
Abb Fab: The Mysterious ‘Lady of the Isles’ - Mairi Maxwell-Scott
01 August 2026
Abb Fab welcomes August as we focus on the life of Mairi Maxwell-Scott...Read On
Abb Fab: Mary Monica Maxwell Scott - The other half of the story
04 July 2026
This month, Abb Fab turns its attention to a very important woman, Mary Monica Maxwell Scott...Read On
Braw Lads' Day: From the Archives
26 June 2026
To commemorate The Braw Lads Gathering, have a look through photographs from past visits...Read On
Hurray for the Braw Lad and Braw Lass
26 June 2026
A farewell from long-time Trustee, George Dalgleish, as he commemorates his time at Abbotsford, his connection with Braw Lads' and what the ceremony looks like behind closed doors on the big day...Read On
The Melrose Festival: From the Archives
15 June 2026
To commemorate the Melrose Festival, have a look through photographs from past visits...Read On
If Objects Could Speak...
04 June 2026
In celebration of MuseumWeek 2026, our new Heritage & Community Manager, Dr Matt Thompson, asks a simple question: if one object at Abbotsford could talk, what stories would it tell?Read On
Abb Fab: The short, tragic life of Charlotte Hope-Scott
03 June 2026
Abb Fab continues on to June as we focus on the life of Charlotte Hope-Scott...Read On
A Gift from Canton: From Hugh Scott to You
27 May 2026
The gift that continues to inspire centuries later. Discover how the famous Chinese wallpaper found its way to Abbotsford, and how you can carry on the tradition...Read On
Abb Fab: Jane Jobson - A Golden Gift
11 May 2026
To kick off Abb Fab in May, Trustee George Dalgleish reveals a rare golden memento of Jane Jobson’s marriage...Read On
Guest Blog: Enclosed I Will Be Safe - Getting to Know Walter
30 April 2026
Artist-In-Residence, Sheena Stone gives some insight into the inspiration behind her upcoming Textile exhibition at Abbotsford...Read On
Abb Fab: Anne Scott - A Life in Paintings
24 April 2026
Reading between the lines and looking beneath the brushstrokes at the life of Anne Scott...Read On
Abb Fab: The Women of Abbotsford - Anne Scott
13 April 2026
This month, Abb Fab focuses on ‘the second sister’, Anne Scott...Read On
Scott's Plaid!
03 April 2026
In honour of NYC Tartan Week 2026, we unveil the work of our former Curator, Kirsty, as she delves into Scott's significant role in helping to turn tartan into a powerful emblem of Scotland and its past...Read On
Boundary Waters by Tristan Hughes
31 March 2026
As part of our pledge to the National Year of Reading, we look into our very own Walter Scott Prize longlist nominations. Step into the world of Boundary Waters by Tristan Hughes...Read On
Abbotsford and the Rise of the Scottish Baronial Style
20 March 2026
Discover how Abbotsford helped shape Scotland’s architectural identity...Read On
Abb Fab: The Women of Abbotsford - Sophia & Anne
18 March 2026
This month, we focus on two significant sisters in the Scott Family...Read On
The Story Behind the Stay: The Walled Gardens
09 March 2026
Designed as an extension of Sir Walter Scott’s imagination, the gardens remain a living expression of his creativity! Find out more here...Read On
The Artist by Lucy Steeds
01 March 2026
As part of our pledge to the National Year of Reading, we look into our very own Walter Scott Prize longlist nominations. Step into the world of The Artist by Lucy Steeds...Read On
Abb Fab - The Women of Abbotsford: Charlotte
19 February 2026
This month, Dr Céline Sabiron delves into the life of Scott's wife, Lady Scott, formerly Charlotte Charpentier.Read On
Introducing Abb Fab: Not Even Half the Story
16 February 2026
Dr Katherine Ferrier introduces our Abb Fab series with a look into the erasure of women in the story of Scotland's past...Read On
Abbotsford: The Perfect Day Trip from Edinburgh
03 February 2026
Professor Steve Solosky (aka The Travelling Professor) speaks about bringing his small group of travellers to Abbotsford...Read On
The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller
28 January 2026
As part of our pledge to the National Year of Reading, we’re thrilled to explore The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, the 2025 winner of the Walter Scott Prize...Read On
Abb Fab - The Women of Abbotsford: Anne Rutherford
23 January 2026
This month, we look into the life of Anne Rutherford. Shaped by the Scottish Enlightenment, a woman of education, literature, and cultural influence.Read On
Scottober Reads: The Monastery
27 October 2025
For our final Scottober Reads, we look at The Monastery: A Romance...Read On
Scottober Reads: The Lay of the Last Minstrel
21 October 2025
Scottober Reads presents The Lay of the Last Minstrel in week 3...Read On
Scottober Reads: The Pirate
07 October 2025
Throughout the month of October, explore the spooky side of Scott's work...Read On
Head Gardener's Blog: Spring 2025
02 May 2025
Head Gardener Tim discusses what Abbotsford's small garden team are up to this National Gardening Week.Read On
Conservation Blog: The Danger of Light
10 April 2025
House and Collections Officer Claudia discusses the impact sunlight can have on Scott's collections and why she's very excited about our new conservation blinds!Read On
Creating a Spotlight Display
23 March 2025
House and Collections Officer Claudia discusses how our latest library spotlight display came into being.Read On
2024 in the Abbotsford Gardens
19 December 2024
Head Gardener Tim looks back on the year in Abbotsford gardens and estate.Read On
Head Gardener’s Blog: Scottish Climate Week
27 September 2024
Head gardener Tim discusses some of the biodiversity work our garden and estate team are up to and the impact climate has on our natural environment at Abbotsford this Scottish Climate Week.Read On
Crew’s (B)log: Update on Abbotsford’s ‘A Light in the Dark’ project
15 August 2024
Scott scholars Hilary Clydesdale and Ainsley McIntosh give an update on their exciting summer project transcribing Walter Scott’s Lighthouse Yacht diary (1814).Read On
Head Gardener's Blog: Early Spring at Abbotsford
03 May 2024
Head Gardener Tim shares what Abbotsford's gardening team have been up to in the busy months of early Spring.Read On
Discover our Collections- Catholic Relics
31 March 2024
The collections team at Abbotsford are busy cataloguing objects from our sacristy and we are discovering a real treasure trove allowing us to delve deeper into the lives of Scott’s descendants, the Hope-Scott’s and the Maxwell-Scott’s.Read On
Carrying the Bat for the Borders
27 July 2023
As cricket fans around the world enjoy this year’s Ashes, Collections and Interpretation Manager Kirsty shares a sporting story from the Abbotsford vaults.Read On
“One of the Best Men I Ever Knew”: Remembering James Hope-Scott
29 April 2023
On the 150th anniversary of his death, Collections and Interpretations Manager Kirsty explores James Hope-Scott's life at Abbotsford.Read On
Sir Walter Scott and A Christmas Carol: Six Degrees of Separation?
13 December 2022
Collections and Interpretation Manager, Kirsty Archer Thompson, discusses the connection between Sir Walter Scott and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.Read On
The Blavatnik Honresfield Library: The Voyage Home Part I
21 September 2022
Collections and Interpretation Manager Kirsty discusses the exciting aquisition of the Blavatnik Honresfield Library by a consortium of libraries, literary organisations and museums including Abbotsford.Read On
The Abbotsford Pavilion Restoration Project
16 August 2022
Collections and Interpretation Manager, Kirsty Archer- Thompson, discusses the 2022 restoration of Sir Walter Scott's pavilion glass house.Read On
Spring 2022 in Abbotsford's Gardens
20 June 2022
Head Gardener Tim discusses what's new in the Abbotsford gardens this Spring.Read On
Birds of a Feather? Walter Scott and John James Audubon
05 May 2022
Abbotsford's Collections and Interpretation Manager, Kirsty Archer- Thompson, explores Sir Walter Scott's connection to artist, naturalist, and ornithologist John James Audobon.Read On
Discover Edie Ochiltree
28 April 2022
Discover the story of our estate statue of the wandering beggar (or gaberlunzie in Scots), Edie Ochiltree, one of Walter Scott’s most beloved literary creations.Read On
Whisky Traditions at Abbotsford
15 February 2022
Sir Walter Scott was a great lover of whisky. The quote “I wish for a sheep's head and a whisky toddy against all the Champagne in the world”, taken from his personal journal, showcases his fondness of the drink. Walter Scott is thought to be the very first novelist to mention specific Scotch whisky distilleries in his work.Read On
Autumn and Winter in the Abbotsford Gardens
28 December 2021
As 2021 comes to a close, Head Gardener Tim looks back on the last few months of the year in the Abbotsford gardens, and discusses the work that will continue into 2022.Read On
Experience the benefits of slow travel at Abbotsford
07 December 2021
So often, we find ourselves coming back from overseas trips and staycations feeling more tired than before we even left. Here at Abbotsford, in the heart of the Scottish Borders, we are absolutely spoiled for a choice of locations to unwind in, and we want to encourage guests to participate in the latest travel trend: slow travel.Read On
New Ceramics Range for Sir Walter Scott's 250th Birthday Anniversary
01 October 2021
A talented ceramist from the Scottish Borders, Belinda Glennon, was commissioned by Abbotsford to create a range of ceramics for Sir Walter Scott’s 250th birthday anniversary.Read On
September in the Abbotsford Gardens
11 September 2021
As we come into Autumn, Head Gardener Tim talks through what’s been happening in the Abbotsford gardens.Read On
Mindfulness Garden Project at Abbotsford
12 July 2021
Head Gardener Tim talks about his Mindfulness Garden project for Sir Walter Scott’s 250th anniversary.Read On
Sir Walter Scott Inspired Art created by Wee Blue Press
26 May 2021
Meet Emma, the incredible artist behind Wee Blue Press, who was commissioned to produce limited addition prints for the Walter Scott’s 250th anniversary celebrations.Read On
BEGINNING 2021 IN THE ABBOTSFORD GARDENS
01 May 2021
As March begins, Head Gardener Tim discusses the last few months and plans for Spring in the Abbotsford gardens.Read On
Unravelling Collections Mysteries
22 April 2021
With the historic house closed during lockdown, the Collections Team at Abbotsford finally found time to delve into the attics and tackle some jobs long overdue. Meet Box F26/14, long known as the '...Read On
APRIL IN THE ABBOTSFORD GARDENS
16 April 2021
Head Gardener Tim discusses early Spring work in the Abbotsford gardens as we prepare to re-open to visitors on Monday 26th AprilRead On
BOOSTING BUTTERFLIES AT ABBOTSFORD
10 April 2021
Ranger Anna talks monitoring and encouraging butterfly populations at Abbotsford and tips for helping conserve butterflies in your own gardenRead On
THE IMPACT ROBERT BURNS HAD ON SIR WALTER SCOTT
25 January 2021
Here, at Abbotsford, it is hard to let Burns’ Day pass without discussing the impact that Robert Burns had on Sir Walter Scott.Read On
FROM HIGHLAND CHIEF TO COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF: SIR WALTER SCOTT AND THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE PRESIDENCY
20 January 2021
On the day of the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States, our Collections and Interpretation Manager Kirsty looks into a surprising musical link between Sir Walter Scott and the inauguration.Read On
2020 IN THE ABBOTSFORD GARDENS
28 December 2020
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, Head Gardener Tim summarises the challenges and triumphs for the Abbotsford gardens this year and outlines some exciting plans for 2021!Read On
AUTUMN IN THE ABBOTSFORD GARDENS
26 October 2020
We’re coming towards the end of the season in the Abbotsford gardens and the garden team have been working hard to make sure we get the most out of everything in the garden. Head Gardener Tim talks through what the team have been up to.Read On
THE PERFECT SCOTTISH STAYCATION
20 October 2020
With many of us planning to holiday on our home turf this year, we share inspiration for your staycation in Scotland. Alongwith VisitScotland, we have handpicked some of the best things to see and do in the Scottish Borders and near Abbotsford - no matter what type of staycation you’re looking for.Read On
AUGUST IN THE ABBOTSFORD GARDENS
04 September 2020
It’s been amazing to have visitors enjoying our gardens again over the past couple of months. Head gardener Tim updates us on what the team has been up to as we near the end of the season.Read On
SIR WALTER SCOTT, PARASOLS AND THE EMPRESS OF BRAZIL
21 August 2020
An exquisite collection item, now on public display in our Visitor Centre, gave our curator Kirsty some sleepless nights before she discovered its story...Read On
CONSERVING OUR LORD BYRON PRINT
08 July 2020
It's a big job caring for the collections at Abbotsford! Our collections team recently sent a 1824 print of Lord Byron to the talented Helen Creasy at the Scottish Conservation Studio for conservation work. Collections and Interpretation Manager Kirsty explains why and we show the process of saving the print in pictures.Read On
GARDENS BLOOMING FOR GATES OPENING ON JULY 1ST
29 June 2020
The gardening team have been working their wellies off making sure everything is looking great for when we can open the garden gates again on Wednesday July 1st. Head Gardener Tim tells you what they’ve been up to and what to look out for.Read On
VOLUNTEERS' WEEK: NANCY'S VOLUNTEERING STORY
03 June 2020
While we're unable to celebrate Volunteers' Week with our volunteers this year, we're doing our best to celebrate them digitally. Today, volunteer Room Steward and Tour Guide Nancy writes about why she chose to volunteer with Abbotsford and what her volunteer work means to her.Read On
THE MERRY BUSY MONTH OF MAY
23 May 2020
While Abbotsford is closed our gardening team are still busy at work looking after the Walled Regency Gardens, taking all necessary precautions for their health and wellbeing. Head Gardener Tim shares the latest news on the team's work and answers some of your gardening questions.Read On
MUSEUM WEEK
21 May 2020
Last week we participated in Museum Week, sharing something from Abbotsford on social media for each Museum Week theme over 7 days. If you missed it, here’s a round up of the week.Read On
HATS OFF TO A RARE ITEM
29 April 2020
When we asked 'what's your favourite thing about Abbotsford?' Bruce, volunteer Guide and Room Steward, pulled an interesting item out of the hat...Read On
SIR WALTER SCOTT AND WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
24 April 2020
On the anniversary of Shakespeare’s baptism, our Collections and Interpretation Manager Kirsty puts a tiny trinket centre stage to explore Sir Walter Scott's literary hero.Read On
EARLY SPRING IN THE ABBOTSFORD GARDENS
14 April 2020
Although Abbotsford is closed to the public our gardening staff have been busy tending the Walled Regency Gardens, working alone in shifts and taking all necessary precautions.Head Gardener Tim shares the early spring planting and preparation work the team have been doing to keep the gardens looking their best for when we re-open.Read On
AN ABBOTSFORD EASTER EGG HUNT
10 April 2020
Happy Easter from Abbotsford! Although you can't enjoy a visit to Abbotsford this Easter weekend, we're bringing some of our collection's lesser known stories to you with an unusual spin on an Easter Egg hunt! Check in each day with Kirsty, our Collections & Interpretation Manager, who has been hunting around the archives for some eggstraordinary stories...Read On
LIFE IN A PANDEMIC: WHAT WOULD SCOTT HAVE DONE?
23 March 2020
As we all get used to looking at the outside world through our windows, our Collections and Interpretation Manager, Kirsty Archer-Thompson considers whether Sir Walter Scott would have been self-isolating or social distancing if Covid-19 had come to call two hundred years ago...Read On
MAD, BAD AND A PLEASURE TO KNOW: THE UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP OF SIR WALTER SCOTT AND LORD BYRON
17 June 2019
Sir Walter Scott was an early admirer of Lord Byron’s poetry, despite finding himself one of several contemporary poets under satirical attack in Byron’s English Bards and Scotch Reviewers (1809):Read On
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH ART UK
09 May 2019
Over the past couple of months, the Collections team at Abbotsford has been preparing to take part in Art UK’s Sculpture Project. This is a National project working to photograph and digitise sculpture in public collections in order to make it more accessible to the public. This follows Art UK’s previous Your Paintings project which focussed entirely on oil paintings. You can enjoy the fruits of the project here at Abbotsford over on the Art UK website.Read On
THE JOHN MUIR TRUST DISCOVERY AWARD AT ABBOTSFORD
30 January 2019
In November 2018, we proudly awarded the John Muir Trust Discovery Awards to five young people from Gala Academy Secondary Support Centre!Read On
MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTT'S FASCINATION
17 January 2019
Here at Abbotsford, we like to continue Sir Walter Scott’s tradition of championing stories from Scotland’s rich and chequered past. In the last six months, two of Scotland’s most famous sovereigns, Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots, have been placed centre stage in big-budget film adaptations and today we take a closer look at one of them.Read On
A GLIMPSE INTO TURNER'S MIND
17 October 2018
As a legacy of the Turner Bequest in 1856, the Tate became home to a vast collection of sketchbooks that belonged to the artist J. M. W. Turner. These private notebooks offer a unique insight into the artist’s mind, revealing exciting aspects of his artistic process.Read On
MEMORIES OF ABBOTSFORD - UNEXPECTED SOUVENIRS
27 August 2018
Historic houses give us an insight into the lives of those who built and lived in them over the centuries. We believe that the stories we tell should not only be informed by what we find inside these houses but by the visitors, friends and communities surrounding them. Their memories are just as cherished and important to our history but often hidden away.Read On
IT WOULDN’T BE A BIRTHDAY WITHOUT EMBARRASSING BABY PICTURES...
15 August 2018
Like many of us, Scott was not terribly enthusiastic about growing old. In his diary, he remarked disapprovingly that ‘the outside of my head is waxing grizzled but I cannot find that the snow has coold my brain or my heart.’Read On
MEMORIES OF ABBOTSFORD - DISCOVERING THE BORDERLANDS
31 July 2018
Historic houses give us an incredible insight into the lives of those who occupied them over the centuries. We believe that the stories we tell should not only be informed by what we find inside these houses but by the visitors, friends and communities surrounding them. Their memories are just as cherished and important to our history but often hidden away.Read On
IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY! LOOKING BACK ON 5 YEARS WITH 5 HIGHLIGHTS
17 July 2018
Time flies when you’re working hard and the years have certainly flown by at Abbotsford. It has been 11 years since the founding of The Abbotsford Trust and this July, we celebrate 5 years since reopening to the public.Read On
THE TOP 3 WORKS BY SCOTT - AS VOTED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS
14 June 2018
For the 2018 Borders Book Festival, we asked our volunteers for their opinion: With an oeuvre spanning a variety of genres, topics and styles, it is difficult to pinpoint which are Scott's best works. Which are yours?Read On
ON SCOTT'S CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
23 February 2018
Scott’s circle of friends encompassed lords and ladies of the very highest rank, just as much as it did business partners and the men and women working on his estate and in the household. Undoubtedly, the author felt thankful for the loyalty bestowed on him, and his closest friendships lasted a lifetime.Read On