The Border Abbeys

We attempted to see all four of the Border Abbeys, but we got a later start that day than we would have liked, so we only made it to three: Melrose, Jedburgh and Dryburgh. Of the three, my favorite would have to be Melrose. The first abbey at Melrose was built in the 1100's and, like the other border abbeys, was destroyed and rebuilt several times during the wars between Scotland and England. Melrose is built of beautiful rose-colored stone and has an amazing amount of surviving carvings and sculptures. This place is absolutely gorgeous and we spent an hour or more here while I took photos of many of the carvings. There is even a figure of a bagpipe-playing pig! :) The heart of Robert the Bruce is buried here, too. Jedburgh Abbey is in the process of some excavation, and is nice also, but right next to a rather busy road. Dryburgh Abbey is in the coutryside in a secluded setting, very peaceful. It has some remnants of early wall paintings, I can't recall which century, I think it was the 1500's. Sir Walter Scott is buried here.