Support Us

SUPPORT US

Support us and become part of the Abbotsford story.

As a charitable organisation, we rely on your generosity to help safeguard Abbotsford and Sir Walter Scott’s legacy for future generations.

There are a number of ways you can support the Abbotsford Trust including making a donation, joining our Friends or Scott's Abbotsford Circle schemes, and volunteering.

Abbotsford, like many other visitor attractions, has been severely impacted by the Covid pandemic and cost of living crisis. Although free visits to Abbotsford’s estate remain at record levels, paying visits to the house have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic figures. At the same time, unprecedented inflation and recent government policy changes have increased employment costs and driven up running costs for the Trust.

The costs of caring for Scott’s historic library and ancient artifacts, a historic house and gardens, offering school and community programmes, and maintaining a free to visit estate for the benefit of the local community is expensive, but very worthwhile. The Trust has always fundraised to cover a gap between running costs and income from customers. Unfortunately, the gap between running costs and income from paying visitors in 2024 proved too great to cover from fundraising alone. Abbotsford has faced its challenges through the years, and every time it has been the support of friends and community which has seen it through.

Every coffee enjoyed, every gift bought, every parking ticket paid helps to support the charity. If you have not visited for a while, come when the house and gardens reopen on 1st March. Buy a ticket and you can visit free for the rest of the year, enjoying ever changing gardens, our newly restored glasshouse, and fascinating displays in the house and free exhibition. Families will love exploring Witch Corner. Look out for our annual passes, including our Friends membership. Or you can simply donate here.

Abbotsford, the Home of Sir Walter Scott, is one of the most renowned houses in the world. It reflects the imagination, enthusiasms and preoccupations of the man who designed and built it, and is the physical embodiment of the classic Scott novel: a delightful and dramatic reinterpretation of Scotland’s past, charmingly laid out for the cultural enrichment of its future.

You can help to preserve this extraordinary historic legacy, by supporting the Abbotsford Trust.

For more information on how donations to the Abbotsford Trust are used, please refer to our Mission section.

What I have to say is far more important than how long my eyelashes are Sir Walter Scott share this tweet

Scott's Abbotsford Circle UK

Join as a member of Scott’s Abbotsford Circle and help safeguard Abbotsford forever.

Adopt a Bench

Nestled in the beautiful natural environment of the Abbotsford Estate are a small number of artisan benches available for adoption to celebrate the life of a loved one or to mark a special occasion.

Leave a Gift in Your Will

Your support helps to protect the beautiful and special place that Scott loved so much, and which is now cherished by the local community and visitors to Scotland from across the world.

Grow-Evolve-Thrive

Help the local community ‘GET’ involved with heritage with Grow-Evolve-Thrive (GET)!

US Supporters

The Abbotsford Trust is an independent Scottish charity and as well as looking Scott’s home and estate, the Trust safeguards his globally important collections of more than 9,000 books and 4,000 objects. Today, Abbotsford is not only one of Scotland most significant historical and cultural icons, but also a community linchpin for volunteering and learning.

The Abbotsford Trust Review

Thank You to all our Supporters

A huge thank you to all of the donors and organisations who support the Abbotsford Trust. We are a small independent charity and without you we could not continue to preserve the iconic heritage and landscapes in our care.