Melrose or St Mary’s Abbey, Melrose is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks and was the Mother house of the order in Scotland until the Reformation. However, at Old Melrose, 2 miles east, there was a much earlier monastic foundation, made shortly before the death of St Cuthbert in 651, who had been its prior. Alexander II and other kings and nobles are buried here at Melrose as well it being the resting place of what is said to be the heart of Robert Bruce.
Sadly Melrose’s history includes a catalogue of attacks and destruction – in 1322, 1385 and finally in 1544 after which it was never fully repaired. Despite this it was then attacked by Cromwell’s cannons in the 17th century. In 1822 Sir Walter Scott and the Duke of Buccleuch took action to preserve the ruins which were eventually given to the state in 1918.
Where the monastery’s cloisters once stood is a solitary yew tree growing upon a pronounced mound. No girth measurement has yet been recorded but on photographic evidence alone it seems to possibly coincide with the efforts to preserve the ruins almost exactly 200 years ago.
