Melrose Abbey

Hubby and I decided earlier in the week that we would go for a walk today and thankfully the weather stayed dry. We drove to Melrose to go for a walk in the Eildon hills.
Some of you may already know that there is an abbey in Melrose but maybe, like me you don't know much of the history.

Melrose was the first Cistercian abbey in Scotland, founded in 1136 by King David I. Three miles away from the present abbey, Old Melrose had been a monastic settlement since the 7th centuary, founded by St Aedan of Iona, the man who also fouded Lindisfarne.
The Cistercian's were very popular in Scotland. David I founded four of their houses in Scotland and eleven were established in all before their worldly success led to inevitable decline.

According to legend, Melrose has a stranger more demonic connection. The 13th century wizard Michael Scott is said to be buried there with his books magic. Through the power of prophecy he is said to have predicted his own death - by a small stone falling on his head.
But his greatest work towers over Melrose: the Eildon Hills, which he is said to have split into the three peaks, two of which we walked today.

A marker in the Abbey shows where Robert the Bruces' heart was re-interred after being excavated and examined by archaeologists at Melrose.The inscription on the marker comes from John Barbour's epic poem 'The Bruce' - 'A noble hart may have nane ease gif freedom failye. Which means 'A noble heart cannot be at peace if freedom is
lacking'.

Hope you all have good weekend :)