Kelso Abbey to re-open to visitors for the first time in five years

Kelso Abbey is set to re-open to visitors for the first time in five years today, Friday 24 July, following the completion of essential conservation work by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which manages the site.

The site will open on the same day as the historic Border Union Show in Kelso, a highlight of the rural events calendar for the Scottish Borders and Northumberland that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Extensive repairs have been carried out at the abbey, including masonry consolidation, netting and re-pointing. Further high-level masonry inspections may take place ahead of Kelso's 900th anniversary in 2028 and inform longer-term management strategies for this important Kelso landmark.

HES is currently developing plans for the anniversary celebrations, in collaboration with stakeholders and local community groups. Details will be shared closer to the time.

Kelso was founded when King David I invited Benedictine monks from Tiron Abbey in northern France to establish a house at Selkirk. By 1128 the monks had relocated to Kelso, close to David’s new castle at Roxburgh across the River Tweed.

In 1460 the young James III was crowned at Kelso Abbey, after the death of his father James II at the siege of nearby Roxburgh.

Roger Curtis, Interim Director of Operations at HES, said:

“We are thrilled to be able to re-open Kelso Abbey now that our specialist teams have completed masonry inspections and vital repairs at the site. It took a lot of resource and hard work, and I want to thank everyone on the team who worked tirelessly to make it possible.

"We also want to thank the local community for their patience and support while these vital works were carried out. The abbey is at the heart of Kelso, and we are proud to care for and protect it for current and future generations.”

His Grace the Duke of Roxburghe, Chair of the Kelso 900 Group, said:

"The reopening of Kelso Abbey is a wonderful moment for the town and for everyone who cares about Scotland's historic places.

"Earlier this year, the Kelso 900 Group came together with the ambition of celebrating the abbey's 900th anniversary and helping to secure its future. Historic Environment Scotland responded with extraordinary commitment and skill, and today's reopening is a tribute to the outstanding work of their teams. Their willingness to commit so much of their specialist stonemasonry team to this project demonstrates just how important Kelso Abbey is to Scotland's national heritage.

"Kelso Abbey has stood at the heart of our town for almost 900 years and remains one of the great treasures of the Scottish Borders. My family has been privileged to have a long association with the Abbey, so seeing its gates open once again is particularly special.

"Today's reopening marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. I hope people from across Scotland and beyond will come to rediscover this remarkable place as we begin the countdown to the Abbey's 900th anniversary in 2028."

We're the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. We are at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future. Across Scotland, we investigate and record architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes and care for more than 300 properties of national importance. HES is also working with sector partners to deliver Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.

Historic Scotland, trove.scot, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Stòr are sub-brands of HES.

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