Our easy-to-use website contains details and locations of places to visit around this area. Please select from:

	Places to Stay: Bed and Breakfast Hotels and Guest Houses Pubs with Accommodation Self Catering
	Places to Eat and Drink: Cafes, Coffee & Tea Shops Pubs serving Food Restaurants and Bistros
	Places of Interest: Places to Visit
	Gardens Centres: Garden Centres/Nurseries
	Specialist Shops: Antiques & Restoration Arts and Crafts Fashions Gifts Home and Garden Jewellery Food and Drink Shops

Melrose

Melrose is an enchanting little town, set beside the River Tweed at the foot of the three peaks of the Eildon Hills. Behind the town square, the noble ruins of Melrose Abbey (Historic Scotland) stand in shattered glory. Founded in 1136 by David I, the original building was repeatedly attacked by the English; the present structure dates mostly from the late 1300s. Modelled on the abbeys of northern England, the building reflects the splendidly intricate Gothic style of that age. Look out for the curious gargoyle of a pig playing the bagpipes.

For centuries, tradition asserted that the heart of Robert the Bruce was buried near the abbey’s high altar. In 1921, a casket was discovered beneath the Chapter House floor but not opened. Then, in 1996, using fibre optic cable, the casket was examined closely and found to contain a withered heart. It can’t be proven to be the Bruce’s heart but as there is no record, or legend, of any other heart being buried at Melrose, the probability is very high. Two years later, the casket was ceremonially re-buried and a commemorative stone tablet erected.

Next door to the abbey, the inviting Priorwood Garden (National Trust for Scotland) specialises in growing plants suitable for dried flower arranging. The walled garden encloses an apple orchard walk, a picnic area and a shop selling the dried flowers. Harmony Garden, also run by the Trust, is close by. It is set around a 19th century house which is not open to the public, and has excellent views of the Eildon Hills. There are herbaceous borders, well tended lawns and vegetable and fruit areas. It is renowned for its sense of peace and tranquillity. The house and small estate was built by Robert Waugh, a Melrose joiner, in the early 1800s after making his fortune from a Jamaica plantation called “Harmony”.

Also within the abbey precincts is the 16th century Commendator’s House, formerly the “Estate Office” for the abbey’s extensive properties. It now houses a curious collection of ecclesiastical artefacts.

In the town itself, The Three Hills Roman Heritage Centre, in the Ormiston Institute in Melrose’s Market Square, has displays on what life was like within a Roman settlement, and has artefacts that were found there. On Thursday afternoons (and Tuesday afternoons in July and August) a guided five mile, four hour walk to the fort leaves from the Centre.

During the second week of April each year, sedate Melrose town is transformed when rugby fans and players from around the world gather for the Melrose Sevens. The game of Rugby 7s was invented here and the tournament has been held every year since 1883.

On a bend in the Tweed, two miles east of the town, is the site of Old Melrose (then called Mailros, meaning “bare moor”). Here, in about AD 650, Celtic monks from Iona established a monastery. Nearby, in about AD 635, a young shepherd was born. In AD 651, following a vision in which he saw the soul of St Aidan of Lindisfarne ascending to heaven, he entered the monastery to train as a monk. He eventually became Bishop of Lindisfarne, and died in AD 687. He is now known as St Cuthbert and is buried in Durham Cathedral. A 62-mile walking route called St Cuthbert’s Way links Melrose and Lindisfarne.

The 100 Aker Wood Visitor Centre is on the old Melrose to Newstead road, and has woodland walks, a childrens’ play area, a coffee shop and car park.

A mile east of Melrose is Newstead, where there are the remains of Trimontium Roman Fort, covering 15 acres, and named after the three peaks of the Eildons. It was occupied between the late first century well into the second, and was the most important Roman settlement of the northern frontier. At its height, it housed 1500 Roman soldiers and supported a large town which covered a further 200 acres.