Alistair Hardaker | Image: Kelso Abbey (HES)
Historic Environment Scotland reopens Kelso Abbey following masonry repairs, ahead of the site’s 900th anniversary in 2028.
Kelso Abbey in the Scottish Borders has reopened to visitors for the first time in five years, following conservation work by Historic Environment Scotland, which manages the site.
The abbey reopened on the same day as the Border Union Show in Kelso, 24 July 2026. Repairs carried out at the abbey include 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 the site.
HES is developing plans for the anniversary celebrations in collaboration with stakeholders and local community groups, with details to be shared closer to the time.
Kelso Abbey 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 castle at Roxburgh across the River Tweed. In 1460 the young James III was crowned at Kelso Abbey, following the death of his father James II at the siege of nearby Roxburgh.
Roger Curtis, interim director of operations at HES, said the reopening “took a lot of resource and hard work”, adding “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 Duke of Roxburghe, chair of the Kelso 900 Group, said the 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.”
