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The roofless nave and transept of Dryburgh Abbey, pink sandstone arches and a tall traceried window standing open to the sky, with cut grass between the foundations and cedars behind.
Scottish Borders

Dryburgh Abbey

A remarkably complete medieval ruin by the Tweed, with some of the best Gothic church architecture in Scotland and the grave of Sir Walter Scott.

Welcome

Beside the River Tweed, among lawns and old trees, Dryburgh Abbey is one of the most peaceful places in the Borders.

It is a remarkably complete medieval ruin, and it has some of the best Gothic church architecture in Scotland.

The abbey belonged to the Premonstratensian canons, and it lived through three fires and four attacks. Parts of it still hold surprises: in the chapter house, plaster and paintwork survive from the day it was built. Beside the abbey grows the Dryburgh yew, one of the oldest trees in Scotland.

Many visitors come to pay their respects. Sir Walter Scott is buried in the north transept, alongside Field-Marshal Earl Haig, and the Earl of Buchan lies in the sacristy. Scott's View and the Wallace statue are both close by, so it is easy to make a half day of it.

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Before you go

Open daily: 9.30am to 5pm from April to September, 10am to 4pm from October to March, closed over Christmas and New Year.

Where
Dryburgh, St Boswells, TD6 0RQ.
Adult
£7.50 online.
Buried here
Sir Walter Scott.

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Did you know

The ruined abbey church stands in weathered sandstone, a tall gothic gable and window at its centre, round-arched arcades and a stone stair leading up through the walls, lawn spreading in front.
Did you know

Paint from the start.

In the chapter house, plaster and paintwork survive from when it was first built.

A tall carved stone pillar bearing a heraldic shield and a robed figure holding a staff, standing in a mown lawn beside a wooden bench, with tall grass, wildflowers and trees behind.
Did you know

An ancient yew.

The Dryburgh yew in the abbey grounds is one of Scotland's oldest trees.

Ben Lerwill

From our guide to The Borders

This exquisite medieval ruin on the banks of the Tweed was once a thriving monastery, still retaining everything from its cloister to its chapter house. Come for the superb Gothic architecture – most evident in the strikingly designed transepts – and the fact that both Sir Walter Scott and First World War officer Field Marshal Haig are buried here.

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Where it is

At Dryburgh by the Tweed, TD6 0RQ, a 10-minute drive from St Boswells or a 30-minute walk from Newton St Boswells.

Close byThe Tweed.
  1. The giant red sandstone statue of William Wallace with sword and shield on a tall plinth against a blue sky.Wallace StatueA giant Wallace on the hill above.1 mile 2 min by road
  2. The main lawn at Mertoun Gardens in early summer, with tall conifers behind and azaleas in flower along the border.Mertoun GardensTwenty-six acres of gardens round Mertoun House by the Tweed near St Boswells, cared for by a charitable trust since 1984.2 miles as the crow flies
  3. Scott’s ViewScott’s ViewScott's favourite view nearby.2 miles 5 min by road
  4. Apple trees in blossom in the orchard at Priorwood Garden, with the red stone ruin of Melrose Abbey beyond the wall.Priorwood GardenA walled garden in the ancient precinct of Melrose Abbey, cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.3 miles as the crow flies
  5. Inside the Trimontium Museum: Roman cavalry armour, helmets, a painted shield and a silver face-mask helmet in dark cases lit red.Trimontium MuseumA museum on Melrose's Market Square telling the story of Trimontium, the Roman fort a mile and a half east at Newstead.3 miles as the crow flies
  6. Melrose AbbeyMelrose AbbeyThe great abbey at Melrose.7 miles 13 min by road
Directions
The Rhymer's Stone, a small upright memorial stone on a cobbled base in front of bushes.AttractionsRhymer’s Stone2.0 miles as the crow flies
The white lattice deck of the Chain Bridge hanging across the River Tweed from its stone tower, with a heron in the shallows below.AttractionsThe Chain Bridge3.4 miles
Café interior with wooden tables, chalkboard menu and a "Deli & Home" signShoppingThe Mainstreet Trading Company3.4 miles
Empty bar stools face shelves of spirits behind a panelled counterRestaurantsBuccleuch Arms3.7 miles
Leaderfoot Viaduct's stone arches span the River Tweed through rolling Borders farmlandAttractionsLeaderfoot Viaduct4.1 miles
The River Teviot seen from Monteviot Gardens, framed by red and orange azaleas and green trees in early summer.AttractionsMonteviot Gardens5.6 miles
Stone tower of Smailholm Tower rises above ruined walls and rolling Borders hillsAttractionsSmailholm Tower5.7 miles
Whitewashed dining room with black chairs, wine racks and pendant lightsRestaurantsThe Hoebridge6.1 miles
The Great Tapestry of Scotland's modern pale stone gallery with a zigzag roofline on a sunny street corner in Galashiels.AttractionsThe Great Tapestry of Scotland6.8 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the abbey, and when each is next free.

The House in the Hill at dusk, its turf roof over walls of local stone and glass, a bedroom lit inside and the hot tub at the corner.The House in the Hill
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Jedburgh
  • 12 miles from Dryburgh Abbey
Free 31 Oct – 2 NovA grey stone farmhouse with several chimneys stands against rolling hills, a wildflower meadow in the foreground.The Scullery
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Yarrow
  • 16 miles from Dryburgh Abbey
Free 13–15 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in the Scottish BordersAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
Hidden Scotland, the magazine

Scotland, in print.

We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.

Get Issue 13Read it here
Read on

What we have written about it, the collections it is in and more in the Scottish Borders.

From the magazineA Pilgrimage to the Borders AbbeysArticleSir Walter Scott’s ScotlandCollectionAbbeys in Scotland Worth the Detour
More in the Scottish Borders
Find out more

For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .