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Melrose, Scottish Borders

Coordinates: 55°35′53″N 2°43′52″W / 55.598°N 2.731°W / 55.598; -2.731
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Melrose
Melrose is located in Scottish Borders
Melrose
Melrose
Location within the Scottish Borders
Population2,500 (2022)[1]
OS grid referenceNT5434
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townMELROSE
Postcode districtTD6
Dialling code01896
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°35′53″N 2°43′52″W / 55.598°N 2.731°W / 55.598; -2.731

Melrose (Scottish Gaelic: Maolros, "bald moor")[2] is a town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire.[3] It lies within the Eildon committee area of Scottish Borders Council.


History

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The original Melrose was Mailros,[4] meaning "the bare peninsula" in Old Welsh or Brythonic. This referred to a neck of land by the River Tweed several miles east of the present town, where in the 6th century a monastery was founded associated with St Cuthbert. It was recorded by Bede, and also in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle with the name Magilros. This monastery and settlement, later known as "Old Melrose", were long abandoned by the 12th century. Melrose is surrounded by the small villages of Darnick, Gattonside, Newstead, Lilliesleaf and Bowden.

Mel & Rose symbols in stonework at Abbey

King David I of Scotland took the throne in 1124, and sought to create a new Cistercian monastery on that site; however the monks preferred a site further west called "Fordel". So the monastery now known as Melrose Abbey was founded there in 1136, and the town of Melrose grew up on its present site around it. In the late Middle Ages, its name was represented by a mell (a mason's hammer) and a rose (for the Virgin Mary, to whom all Cistercian abbeys were dedicated). The Abbey fell into ruin after the Reformation but is still a striking structure. Several Scottish nobles are buried there, and a casket has been found which is believed to contain the heart of King Robert the Bruce. The casket has been re-buried in the Abbey. The Abbey ruins are cared for by Historic Scotland (open all year; entrance charge).

Nearby is the Roman fort of Trimontium, Abbotsford House the home of Sir Walter Scott, and Dryburgh Abbey where he was buried in 1832. The Corn Exchange, which was designed by David Cousin, was completed in 1863.[5]

The war memorial, erected in 1920, was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer.[6]

Sport

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Melrose is the birthplace of Rugby Sevens and also has a rugby union team, Melrose RFC. Every year on the second Saturday in April the famous Melrose Sevens are held at the Greenyards and is the biggest annual sporting event held in the town. Rugby union has always been the most popular sport in Melrose.

Melrose Golf Club is a nine-hole golf course situated on the edge of the town at the foot of the Eildon Hills.

Melrose Cricket Club is situated next to Borders General Hospital at Huntlyburn.

Events

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Every June, the week-long Melrose Festival takes place. This involves appointing a Melrosian who has lived in the town for most of his life; and a queen and her court are appointed from the local primary school, Melrose Primary School (previously named Melrose Grammar School).

Melrose is now host to the annual Borders Book Festival[7] which also takes place during June. The 2005 festival hosted guests including Michael Palin and Germaine Greer; Ian Rankin and Rory Bremner appeared in 2006.

Melrose hosts the annual Eildon Three Hill Race,[8] attracting many runners, and the Melrose Pipe Band Championships, attracting pipers from all over the world.

Notable people

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A wall plaque at the Townhouse Hotel in Melrose, Scotland. Spence lived the first 14 years of her life in a building which is now part of the hotel.
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  • Melrose Abbey
    Melrose Abbey
  • Eildon Hills
    Eildon Hills
  • Abbotsford
    Abbotsford
  • Market Square
    Market Square
  • The Roman Heritage Centre
    The Roman Heritage Centre

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Gaelic Placenames collected by Iain Mac an Tailleir (2003)" (PDF). Scottish.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Database: Melrose". Gaelic Place-names of Scotland. Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  4. ^ Stevenson, Joseph, ed. (1835), Chronica de Mailros, e Codice Unico, Edinburgh: The Bannatyne Club (in Latin)
  5. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Market Square, Corn Exchange and K. H. Thorburn, Chemist (LB37797)". Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  6. ^ Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Robert Lorimer
  7. ^ "Borders Book Festival". Borders Book Festival. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Eildon Three Hill Race". 22 June 2024.
  9. ^ * Meyers, Jeffrey (2019). "Memoirs of Conrad: Ford Madox and Company in Search of a Character". English Literature in Transition, 1880–1920. 62 (1): 104.
  10. ^ Scotland, The Church of (31 October 2024). "Rev Rosemary Frew is Moderator Designate for 2025-26". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Sarah Robertson". Scottish Hockey. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Melrose (Scotland).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melrose, Scottish Borders.
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