I just found an unpublished post because I had trouble with the pictures that went along with the words. Got a postcard from Karen today, with whom I traversed at least the southern Scottish countryside in search of education and adventure at least twice per week.
Sometimes my Jim and Karen’s husband Jack were able to join us on weekends.
Melrose didn’t require any stinky cow pastures, but did take a train and two buses each way. It was worth every minute. The small bus we took directly to the Abbey was taken with husband/wife scholars and photographers. I believe we went in early April of last year so it was supposed to be cooler weather but was a glorious day and only four of us there at the Abbey and we rarely saw each other.
It has been open to the air for many years. After its use as a Cistercian monastery it was used as a community parish church. It is said that the heart of King Robert the Bruce, who helped free Scotland from England, has his heart buried there (see gravestone, new) after it was taken to the holy land for burial but its bearers wound up getting into the Crusades.
His heart made it back and was taken to Melrose, where it was recently unearthed and re-buried. You’ll have to do that research on your own. Hope I got my part right!
It was a glorious afternoon. We had lunch then spent several hours walking around and taking photos. I think we had soup and sandwiches that day.
The most interesting thing to me is the transition from traditional heavy, square or rectangular English architecture to the lighter-than-air French tracery windows. I don’t know that I gave you a sampling. Some of the largest window expanses, like behind the altar, are French and only in the last 150 years have they inserted iron bars to keep them in place.
Even thinking of that quiet time at such a spectacular place gives me peace.
