- Conservation Area
- Melrose
- Conservation Area Statement
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The Conservation Area of Melrose incorporates the historic core of the settlement. Melrose is world-renowned for its famous Abbey. It is within the grounds of Melrose Abbey that the heart of King Robert I (The Bruce) is buried in a leaden casket.
It was his wish to take part in a crusade but this wish was only fulfilled after his death when his friend James Douglas, known as ‘Good Sir James’ carried his embalmed heart while on crusade.
King Robert I’s heart was then brought back and buried in the Abbey.
The Melrose Conservation Area retains many of the historic features that provide it with its distinctive identity. Along with the Abbey, other properties that appear prominent within the Conservation Area, include the Commendator’s House, the Mercat Cross, the Bank of Scotland, the Corn Exchange, the Post Office as well as a number of the hotels.
Melrose is an unplanned settlement with an organic nature, though many of the properties around the Abbey have been set out in an ordered fashion.
The centre of Melrose is closely packed and intimate, while the periphery appears more sprawling and open.
The majority of detached properties tend to be located on the periphery of the settlement and not within the centre.
Building materials that prevail throughout the Conservation Area are sandstone, whinstone, harl, slate and on a few occasions red clay tiles. The architectural details include sash and case windows, fanlights, transom lights, a range of dormers, occasional continuous sills on upper floors, skews, margins and rybats. Boundary walls also play an important part in the character of the Melrose Conservation Area, some with iron detailing particularly along Abbey Street. Whilst these individual elements of the built fabric may not appear significant, collectively their contribution to the Conservation Area is considerable. Any new development or alterations should seek to respect individual buildings and the wider Conservation Area by taking account of these important features.
There are currently 69 listed properties within the amended Melrose Conservation Area. - Designation, adoption and boundary information
- Alterations to the Melrose Conservation Area boundary from that shown in the Ettrick and Lauderdale Local Plan 1995 consist of the inclusion of the playing field next to the Old Fire Station, Madras Cottage and a large extension to include part of High Cross Avenue. Other alterations to the boundary consist of the exclusion of a field at Priory Farm. There are other small changes to the boundary however these are mere tidying of the boundary to follow elements on the ground.
- Download boundary map
- Melrose Conservation Area
- Contact
- Heritage and Design Officer
- Online Form
- Contact heritage and design officer
