Melrose, Scotland
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| Melrose | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Am Maol-Ros | |
| Scots: Melrose | |
  Melrose shown within Scotland |
|
| Population | 1,671 (2001 census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Council area | Scottish Borders |
| Lieutenancy area | Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale |
| Constituent country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MELROSE |
| Postcode district | TD6 |
| Dialling code | 01896 |
| Police | Lothian and Borders |
| Fire | Lothian and Borders |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| European Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk |
| Scottish Parliament | Roxburgh and Berwickshire |
| List of places: UK • Scotland | |
Melrose is a small, historic town on the Scottish Borders. The town's name is recorded in its earliest form as Mailros, 'the bare peninsula' (Old Welsh or Brythonic), referring to the original site of the monastery, recorded by the Venerable Bede, in a bend of the river Tweed. In the late Middle Ages, when the monastery had been refounded in its present position, its name was symbolically represented by the visual pun of a mell (mason's hammer) and a rose (symbolising the Virgin Mary, to whom all Cistercian abbeys were dedicated). It is in the Eildon committee area, and was in the former county of Roxburghshire.
Melrose is the location of Melrose Abbey, refounded for the Cistercian order by David I in the early 12th century, one of the most beautiful monastic ruins in Great Britain. It is the site of the burial of the heart of Scottish king Robert the Bruce. An excavation was led to find a sealed casket, but it was not opened , and it was actually discovered by high school students involved in the dig. The casket was placed in a sealed lead cylinder, and was then re-buried in the abbey back at its proper resting place. The remains of the Abbey are cared for by Historic Scotland (open all year; entrance charge).
Nearby is the Roman fort of Trimontium, and Dryburgh Abbey. Melrose is surrounded by the small villages of Darnick, Gattonside, Newstead, and Bowden.
King Arthur is supposedly buried in the Eildon Hills, which overlook the town. A few miles west of the town lies Abbotsford House, the home of novelist Sir Walter Scott.
Melrose is the birthplace of Rugby Sevens, the town's rugby union team is one of the strongest in the Borders, an area where rugby union has always been the most popular sport.
Melrose also has Melrose golf club which is a nine hole golf course situated on the edge of the town at the foot of the Eildon Hills.
Every year in June Melrose has a festival week known as the Melrose Festival. This involves appointing a Melrosian who has lived in the town for most of his life. Also a queen and her court are appointed from the local primary school, Melrose Grammar School.
Melrose is now host to the annual Borders Book Festival which also takes place during June. The 2005 festival hosted guests including Michael Palin and Germaine Greer; Ian Rankin and Rory Bremner appeared in 2006.
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