Age: Heritage (<400 yrs)
Access: Public ~ Admission fees and opening times apply
Site Type: Historic Castle/House/Estate
Location: Abbotsford House, Melrose, Scottish Borders, TD6 9BQ
OS Map Grid: NT 50815 34266
Coordinates: 55.5995, -2.7817

Created from scratch between 1817 and 1825 by Sir Walter Scott, Abbotsford was opened to the public following his death in 1832 though remained a family residence until 2004. It is now one of the most famous houses in the world. Sir Walter Scott envisioned not just a house but the grounds around it too, and yews feature as topiary at the entrance to the house. Elsewhere are individual yews, including an extant yew recorded in a photo from 1845 outside the garden’s boundary wall, yew woodland shading walks around the house, atmospheric groves of yew under which children are educated in woodcraft skills, and across the main road is a substantial area of beautiful yew woodland, bordering a path leading to the hills above Abbotsford. Clearly, Sir Walter Scott had a personal desire for yews at Abbotsford to be an intrinsic element to the spirit of the place. Incidentally, he is buried at Dryburgh Abbey where an ancient yew stands thought to be almost 800 years old.

Access: Public ~ Admission fees and opening times apply
Age: Heritage (<400 yrs)
Site Type: Historic Castle/House/Estate
Location: Abbotsford House, Melrose, Scottish Borders, TD6 9BQ
OS Map Grid: NT 50815 34266
Coordinates: 55.5995, -2.7817