Day 16 - Kelso - 23 September 2024

We started the day with another full Scottish breakfast and then had a walk around Kelso.  We wandered across the road to the Kelso Abbey ruins to find that they were closed.  Apparently, the brickwork is in danger of falling and so it has been closed to the public. It would have been a spectacular building.

The Abbey was started in around 1113 by Benedictine monks from France or, more precisely, the Tironesian monks.  The Abbey operated within the Tironesian order until 1540  when Henry viii introduced the reformation. In 1560, the Scottish Reformation sealed the Abbey's fate by no longer recognising Tironesian monks. Then, local people started to remove stone for their own use so that we now have a very small part of the Abbey remaining.

Kelso Abbey

Kelso Abbey

Then we went to Floors Castle. It is a spectacular place and is still occupied by the family. No photos allowed so unfortunately, we cannot add any here other than the exterior and the gardens. We parked and then had to walk about one kilometre to the castle. The grounds are enormous and very well maintained.  The gardens must take an enormous amount of work to keep in shape.

Floors Castle

A statue

A centre piece of the garden

Narelle in the garden

What a garden

We stopped for morning tea in their cafe as well. They serve cakes under glass domes as well as clotted cream teas. Wow.

It was then only a short drive to Hedberg Abbey ruins.  Jedburgh Abbey was founded in the 12th century by the Augustinian monks.  When King Henry viii proceeded with the protestant reformation, the monks were permitted to stay at the Abbey, however by 1671, there were problems with the buildings, and it was determined to be too unsafe to be inhabited.

The Abbey

Basement

Some information

More beautiful work

Beautiful craftsmanship

What a building

Look at that arch

The grounds are kept well

Here we are

We then headed back to Ednam House for a stroll around the gardens which are very good. They have a purple rose which is quite rare, as I understand. Then back to the Queens Head for another pub meal. They are the best!

What a place