The Great Tapestry of Scotland

It’s like our own private hotel here as we have been the only guests. However there are 4 more coming this evening so we’ll have to remember to wear our masks. (Covid numbers hitting almost 50000 new cases a day).

Today we headed for Galashiels to visit the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now housed in a custom-made building. It works for showing off the panels to advantage. We had timed tickets but though it was quite busy we were able to view the sections when they were quiet.

The tapestry depicts the history, geology, industry, the arts, sport and more of Scotland. We saw the tapestry some years ago when it was on show at the Scottish Parliament but I have a feeling it couldn’t all have been there then as there seemed a lot more this time and it took us ages to get round it. I liked the way they had got the names of all the embroiderers on the wall as you go up the stairs. They had an app that you could use to find a person you knew so on the top right of the collage is my sister-in-law, Colina Harris-Burland. She died before the whole tapestry could be viewed. The Kelso group she belonged to sewed the Duns Scotous panel which is one of the more restrained and less colourful ones. The ones in the collage are depicting The East India Company, The Scotsman newspaper, knitting, Paisley pattern and of course, Hugh Munro who first tabled the Munros.

After that we headed for Abbotsford, this being the 250th anniversary of the birth of Walter Scott. I hadn’t been since I was a child. It’s a Scottish baronial monstrosity, full of weaponry and armoury. He collected memorabilia - a bit of Mary Queen of Scots dress, and her crucifix, a lock of Byron’s hair, (and also Bonnie Prince Charlie’s), pocket book of Flora MacDonald, Napoleon’s gold clasp from his cloak, Rob Roy’s sgain dubh - but the best was a crumb of an oatcake from the Battle of Culloden - (aye right!) all displayed in a glass topped table.

I’ve eaten nothing since the breakfast fruit in anticipation of the meatfest we’ll see before us tonight.