Abbotsford is a historic country house in the Scottish Borders, near Galashiels, on the south bank of the River Tweed. Now open to the public, it was built as the residence of historical novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott between and The estate and its neo-Medieval features nod towards Scott's desire for a historical feel, but the writer ensured that the house would provide all the comforts of modern living. As a result, Scott used the space as a proving-ground for new technologies.
The house was outfitted with early gas lighting and pneumatic bells connecting residents with servants elsewhere in the house. Scott had only enjoyed his residence one year when he met with that reverse of fortune which involved the estate in debt.
In , the library and museum were presented to him as a free gift by the creditors. The property was wholly disencumbered in by Robert Cadell, the publisher, who cancelled the bond upon it in exchange for the family's share in the copyright of Sir Walter's works. Scott's only son Walter did not live to enjoy the property, having died on his way from India in Mrs Maxwell Scott. The house was opened to the public in but continued to be occupied by Scott's descendants until The last of his direct descendants to hold the Lairdship of Abbotsford was his great-great-great-granddaughter Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott 8 June β 5 May She inherited it from her elder sister Patricia Maxwell-Scott in The sisters turned the house into one of Scotland's premier tourist attractions, after they had to rely on paying visitors to afford the upkeep of the house.
It had electricity installed only in Background texture by Lenabem-Anna J. Barn texture by Lenabem-Anna J. The quire screen is relatively modern, having been executed in memory of Robert Scott sometime Dean with its current statues by J. Loughborough Pearson in or around the late s. Rochester Cathedral's current pipe organ originates from the instrument built by J. It was later rebuilt by Mander Organs in , who installed a new choir organ and pipework under the advice of Paul Hale. The edifice is a Grade I listed building.
There has been a cathedral on this site since , but after the Norman Conquest, the by now decayed building was replaced by a new Rochester Cathedral, constructed beginning in by Bishop Gundulf. The building was dedicated in either or , but was badly damaged by fire almost immediately, and then again in and , with the east end almost complete destroyed. This was replaced around the turn of the 13th Century.
