Commendator's House Museum
A small museum in a restored 16th-century house at Melrose Abbey, showing objects found at the abbey; entry is included in the abbey ticket.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Commendator's House stands beside the ruins of Melrose Abbey, which David I founded in 1136 as the first Cistercian monastery in Scotland. Its monks came from Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, and monastic life continued for about 450 years. The last monk, John Watson, is recorded as dying around 1590, and the abbey church then served as a parish church until a new kirk was built nearby in 1810.
The house was built in the late 1500s and has been restored. It now serves as the abbey museum, where objects found on the site are displayed. They include everyday items such as cooking pots, portable urinals and floor tiles, and a fragment of the shrine of St Waltheof, the abbey's second abbot.
The abbey was damaged several times by English attacks because of its position near the border, and it is also known as the burial place of King Alexander II and of the heart of Robert the Bruce. The museum is part of the abbey site managed by Historic Environment Scotland, and an abbey ticket gives access to it.
Highlights
- Objects found at Melrose Abbey
- Fragment of the shrine of St Waltheof
- Medieval floor tiles and everyday items
- Restored late 16th-century house
- Entry included in the abbey ticket
Permanent exhibition
- Commendator's House Museum – Objects found at Melrose Abbey, including cooking pots, floor tiles and a fragment of the shrine of St Waltheof, displayed in a restored 16th-century house.
- Operated by
- Historic Environment Scotland
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £7.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £6Visitors aged 65 and over |
| Children & teens | £3.50Child ticket for ages 7 to 15. |
| Seniors | £6Concession ticket, ages 65 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Visitors with disabilities pay the standard rate for their age group, and proof of disability is not required. Up to two accompanying carers enter free. |
| Families | –Family tickets can be chosen when booking online; the price is not shown on the museum page. |
| Scottish Young Person discount (Scots aged 7 to 25 with a Young Scot or National Entitlement Card) | £1 |
The ticket covers the abbey, grounds, cloister and museum. Members of Historic Environment Scotland enter free, and Explorer Pass holders and members of English Heritage, Cadw and Manx National Heritage receive free or discounted entry. The best prices are offered online in advance.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
During masonry inspection work an accessible route leads to the cloister, foundations, cemetery and the ground floor of the museum; staff accompany visitors from the shop to a level entrance on Cloisters Road, about 100 metres away. The usual approach is a level tarmac path, but the grounds are mostly grass and the abbey itself has two stone steps. The shop has ramped access. The toilets at the east of the site are reached by six stone steps without handrails; the nearest adapted toilet is on Abbey Street, 170 metres away, and Radar keys are available from the library in the town square. Assistance dogs may enter roofed areas; other dogs must be on a lead and stay out of roofed areas.
Kids & families
Family tickets are offered when booking online.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
The site is accessible by public transport; journeys can be planned with Traveline Scotland.
By car
Paid parking · 75 m to the entrance
A pay and display car park is 75 metres from the abbey, with two accessible bays, electric vehicle charging points run by Scottish Borders Council and a bicycle rack. It can be busy in summer. Limited on-street parking is closer to the site.
- Accessible parking
The abbey is on Abbey Street in Melrose. There is no bike storage outside the shop.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop at the entrance. Toilets, a picnic area and a water bottle refill point are listed; no café is listed.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | An audio guide is included in the ticket and works on the visitor's own device; print versions are available in large print and Open Dyslexic large print. Talks and tours are included in admission, subject to availability. |
