day 3, part 3, Abbotsford

[low_delta]

On Tuesday, after Leaderfoot Bridge, we went to Abbotsford. We got there a few minutes before it opened, at 10 am. Abbotsford was the home of author, Sir Walter Scott. You may have read Ivanhoe, Rob Roy or Waverly. I have not. But he was pretty famous. The most famous writer of his day, and a real celebrity. We went through the museum and gift shop, and then went down to the house.

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It was built 1817 to 1824.

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In the Entrance Hall there is a large display of armor, weapons, skulls, trophies, clan shields, and other odds and ends.

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Here is a cast of the skull of Robert the Bruce.

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The Scott's study.

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Then the drawing room. It had an extensive library and a great view of the River Tweed and the hills across it.

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They had several of these interactive touch-screen displays. This one was discussing the Chinese wallpaper in the dining room. There was one in the library where you could peruse books from the collection. Unfortunately, there are only two books loaded, at the moment. The audio tour was informative.

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Through the dining room was the Armory, with its artfully arranged weapons of all sorts. It had beautiful blades, blunt instruments and firearms from all over the world.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more to see. Just those five rooms, plus a chapel. The house was opened up for tours immediately after Scott's death, as the public was keen to see it. The last living descendent of Scott, and occupant of the house died in 2004. She and her sister were the ones who turned Abbotsford into the tourist attraction it is today. They needed the income to keep it up.

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There are large gardens to the side of the house. Both walled in, one next to the other.

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Comments

Sir Walter Scott

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

Reading Ivanhoe was hit-or-miss in high school - some teachers had it on the docket, others didn't. I never took those that did. And I guess I've never known a lot about him otherwise.

Those are a heck of a lot of swords, and an impressive amount of armor. And, even if that's a cast that's a creepy looking skull.

And great wallpaper.

Re: Sir Walter Scott

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

My dad said he could barely get through Ivanhoe.

The entry hall, with the armor was pretty big. The armory room was fairly small, but had a lot of weapons on the walls.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

HOUSE???!!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's what they call it. :-D

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

I guess it had to be that big... to house the staff it took to run it *circle circle*

It IS pretty though.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

I would be happy to live there if someone else would pay the bills and do the dusting! What a grand place.

We got a *tour* of the White House pre-9/11. Talk about disappointing. I think we saw two rooms and a hall?

[banana.livejournal.com]

Bloke in the armour in picture 5 very much needs to pee.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I would say so, yes.

[banana.livejournal.com]

Did you see the Scott Monument in Edinburgh? It's in an even more flamboyant gothic style. I climbed up it with a friend who turned out to be afraid of heights. I thought that turning white with fear was hyperbole, but at the top, he really did: back to the wall, couldn't move. I was excitedly looking around at the view until I saw him and thought I'd better get him back inside.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I've seen pictures, but we didn't visit it.

He didn't realize he'd have fear issues?

[banana.livejournal.com]

Maybe, but he didn't tell me...