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Commendator's House

The Commendator’s House is a small 15th century tower house with later extension which stands next to Melrose Abbey.

The original layout has become confused due to later remodelling and it is now unclear what form the first building here took. At first glance the three storey tower with crow-stepped gables appears to be the oldest part of the property, and it is said to date back to the 15th century. However it is thought that accommodation for the Abbot of Melrose Abbey predated this.

What is known is that the building was altered and possibly extended in the 16th century for James Douglas, the Commendator of Melrose Abbey. His initials, and those of his wife Mary Kerr of Ferniehirst (whom he married in 1587), appear with the date 1590 on a recut lintel over the main entrance.

The defensive origins of the tower are revealed by the thickness of the walls and the wide gunloops on the east and north walls.

A two storey wing extends north from the west wall of the tower, the window openings in which have been dated to the 16th and 17th centuries. This may mean that the new wing was added in 1590 and then remodelled the following century.

At ground level the wing contains several vaults, with a great hall above on the first floor and smaller chambers on the second floor.

The buildings were later absorbed into a larger Tudor-style mansion built in the 1830s and known as The Priory. In 1934 the Commendator’s House passed into state care and two years later it was restored to its supposed 1590 form by J Wilson Paterson of HM Office of Works. It is now home to a museum of Roman and medieval finds dug up during excavations of the nearby abbey.

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Alternative names for Commendator's House

The Priory

Where is Commendator's House?

Commendator's House is in the parish of Melrose and the county of Roxburghshire.

Grid reference: NT 54835 34289

Lat / long: 55.60012, -2.718279

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OS Map for Commendator's House

OS map 338
Galashiels, Selkirk & Melrose (St Boswell’s & Lauder)
OS Explorer map 338


Directions to Commendator's House

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Weather at Commendator's House

11°C
max 11°C / min 11°C
3km/h SE
1027mb
91%
83%
03:26 20:57

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Melrose at 06:21
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References (books)

History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club (Volume 29)
Various
Edinburgh, 1938
The Castles of Lothian and the Borders
Mike Slater
Malvern, 1994
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Historic Environment Scotland

Castles near Commendator's House

Abbey House

0.1km away

Little Peel (site of)

1.6km away

Fisher's Tower

1.6km away

Darnick Tower

1.6km away

Eildon (possible) (site of)

2.3km away

Westhouses (site of)

2.7km away

Gledswood

3.7km away

Bowden (site of)

3.8km away

Cowdenknowes

4.0km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Commendator's House

Eildon Hill North fort

1.6km away

Newstead (site of) souterrains

1.8km away

Brothers' Stones standing stone

7.2km away

Earlston standing stone

7.3km away

Littledean fort

8.9km away

Torwoodlee broch and fort

9.3km away

Bow Castle broch

11.4km away

Cambridge standing stone

14.4km away

Bruntaburn Mill standing stone

16.3km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Commendator's House

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

23.0km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

48.6km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

48.6km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

49.4km away

Court Cave Class I rock carving

65.9km away

Doo Cave Class I rock carving

66.0km away

Jonathan's Cave Class I rock carving

66.1km away

Sliding Cave Class I rock carving

66.1km away

Abercrombie 1 Class III cross slab

69.1km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Commendator's House

Whitlaw silver chain

14.4km away

Hoardweel silver chain

35.1km away

Haddington silver chain

39.3km away

Traprain Law silver chain

40.7km away

Borland silver chain

50.0km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

52.1km away

Norrie's Law hoard

74.3km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

74.7km away

Dunnicaer fort

154.0km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Commendator's House

George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
0.3km away
Melrose SYHA Hostel
hostelMelrose
0.3km away
The Buccleuch Arms Hotel
hotelSt Boswells
5.4km away
The Clovenfords Country Hotel
hotelGalashiels
10.0km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
10.5km away
Huntlywood Granary
bed and breakfastEarlston
11.1km away
Black Bull Hotel, Lauder
hotelLauder
13.4km away
Lauderdale Apartment
self-catering apartmentLauder
13.7km away
Broadmeadows SYHA Hostel
hostelSelkirk
14.0km away
Aikwood Tower
self-cateringSelkirk
15.2km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Commendator's House

George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
0.3km away
Baxters Selkirk
caféSelkirk
8.7km away
Selkirk Deli
caféSelkirk
9.7km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
10.5km away
The Terrace Café, Floors Castle
caféKelso
15.7km away
The Courtyard Restaurant, Floors Castle
café, restaurantKelso
16.3km away
Johnstons of Elgin Eastmill Café
caféHawick
19.3km away
Saffron
restaurantInnerleithen
21.9km away
No1 Peebles Road
caféInnerleithen
21.9km away
Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa
hotel, bar, restaurantCardrona
25.7km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 14th of May 2010 at 1:57 pm. Updated on the 22nd of July 2016 at 10:41 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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