Melrose Abbey facts for kids
 |
|
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Cistercian |
| Established | 1136 |
| Disestablished | 1609 |
| Mother house | Rievaulx Abbey |
| Diocese | Diocese of Glasgow |
| Controlled churches | Cavers Magna; Dunscore; Ettrick; Hassendean; Mauchline; Melrose; Ochiltree; Tarbolton; Westerkirk; Wilton |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | David I of Scotland |
| Important associated figures | Waltheof, Jocelin |
| Site | |
| Location | Melrose, Scottish Borders |
Melrose Abbey was once a very important monastery in Melrose, Scotland. It was built in 1136 by a group of monks called the Cistercians. They were asked to build it by King David I of Scotland. For a long time, it was the main Cistercian monastery in Scotland.
Today, much of the abbey is in ruins, but it's still a special place. Historic Environment Scotland looks after it. You can visit a part of the abbey that dates back to 1590, which is now a museum.
Many important Scottish kings and nobles are buried here. One of the most famous stories is about the heart of Robert the Bruce. It's believed his heart was buried at the abbey.
The abbey is also famous for its amazing stone carvings. You can see saints, dragons, gargoyles, and plants carved into the stone. There's even a special message carved by a master builder, John Morow: Be halde to ye hende. This means "Keep in mind, the end," and it's now the motto for the town of Melrose.
Contents
History of Melrose Abbey
The First Monastery
Before Melrose Abbey, there was an even older monastery. It was founded by Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne around 651 AD. This older monastery was about two miles east of where the abbey stands today.
A famous saint named Cuthbert grew up nearby. He trained at this old monastery and later became its leader. The site of this first monastery is now marked by a graveyard.
Building the Cistercian Abbey
Melrose was the very first Cistercian abbey built in Scotland. King David I wanted it on the old monastery's site. However, the Cistercian monks chose a new spot. They said the original land wasn't good enough for farming.
The abbey was built very quickly, supposedly in just ten years. The church part was finished and dedicated to St. Mary in 1146. Like all Cistercian monasteries, it became a "mother church." This meant it was the most important Cistercian house in Scotland.
In the 1100s, the Cistercians at Melrose were very good farmers. They used new techniques and sold wool all over Europe. A town slowly grew up around the abbey. Once, during a time of hunger, the monastery fed 4,000 starving people for three months!
The abbey was very rich and powerful. It had about 100 monks. King David I gave it lots of land and fishing rights. Other kings also added to its wealth. Many of its leaders, called abbots, were important people. Waltheof of Melrose, the king's stepson, was an abbot. He made Melrose famous for its holiness and learning.
Attacks and Rebuilding
Melrose Abbey was on a main road from Edinburgh to the south. This made it an easy target for attacks. In 1322, the English army led by King Edward II attacked the town. Much of the abbey was destroyed.
Robert the Bruce ordered the abbey to be rebuilt. He even had someone in charge of the money for the project. But in 1385, the abbey was burned again. This time, it was by the army of Richard II of England.
It took about 100 years to rebuild the abbey after this attack. Even when King James IV visited in 1504, it wasn't fully finished.
Decline and Ruin
In 1544, English armies attacked Scotland again. They were trying to force the Scots to let Mary, Queen of Scots marry Henry VIII's son. During this time, Melrose Abbey was badly damaged once more. It was never fully repaired after this. This led to its slow decline as a working monastery.
The last abbot died in 1559, and the last monk of Melrose died in 1590. The abbey faced one last attack during the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell's troops bombarded it, and you can still see cannon marks on some walls.
In 1618, part of the abbey church was turned into a local church for the town. It was used until 1810.
Saving the Ruins
In the early 1800s, a famous writer named Sir Walter Scott helped save the abbey. With money from the Duke of Buccleuch, Sir Walter oversaw big repair works. In 1918, the Duke gave the ruins to the state. Now, Historic Environment Scotland cares for this amazing historical site.
Robert the Bruce's Heart
One of the most famous stories about Melrose Abbey is about the heart of Robert the Bruce. It's believed his heart was buried here. This might have happened in 1330 or 1331. A small metal plaque marks the spot.
In 1996, archaeologists found something amazing. They discovered a lead container and a copper plaque. The plaque said: "The enclosed leaden casket containing a heart was found beneath Chapter House floor, March 1921, by His Majesty's Office of Works."
Inside the casket, they found a human heart in a dark liquid. Since there are no records of anyone else's heart being buried at Melrose, it's thought to be Robert the Bruce's. The container was reburied at Melrose Abbey on June 22, 1998, under a special memorial stone.
We can't be 100% sure it's his heart. But it's a very exciting part of the abbey's history!
What Does Melrose Abbey Look Like?
The abbey is built in a traditional east-west direction. The western part is mostly gone, with only its foundations remaining. The eastern part is much more complete.
There's a graveyard for the local community to the south and southeast of the abbey. Most of the gravestones are from the 1800s. Melrose Abbey is also special because it's the only abbey in Scotland that still has some of its original floor tiles!
Important People Buried Here
Many important people from Scottish history are buried at Melrose Abbey. This shows how important the abbey was. Some of them include:
- Jocelin, a Bishop of Glasgow
- Waltheof of Melrose, a famous abbot
- King Alexander II
- William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas
- Sir David Brewster, who invented the Kaleidoscope
Tributes to Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey has inspired many people. Sir Walter Scott wrote about it in his famous poem, "The Lay of the Last Minstrel." He said, "If thou wouldst view fair Melrose aright, Go visit it by the pale moonlight."
In the United States, a church called Kirk in the Hills was built in Michigan. It was finished in 1958 and was designed to look like Melrose Abbey.
Visiting Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a popular place to visit. It's part of the Borders Abbeys Way, a walking trail that connects five historic abbeys in Scotland. In 2019, over 61,000 people visited the abbey.
Images for kids
-
Engraving of the abbey by James Fittler from 1804.
-
An interior view of the abbey from 1835.
-
A photograph of Melrose Abbey from 1844, by Henry Fox Talbot.
-
An engraving of the East End of the Abbey from around 1850.
-
J. M. W. Turner's painting of Melrose Abbey.
See also
In Spanish: Abadía de Melrose para niños
