Abbotsford was the home of Sir Walter Scott who in 1811 bought Cartleyhole farm  and gradually converted it to a large country house, taking an eclectic approach to its design which inspired the Scottish Baronial style.   

In 1825 he became bankrupt when the publishing firm in which he was a partner failed during a banking crisis.  He placed the house and his earnings in trust to his creditors and spent his remaining years seeking to pay off his debts through writing.    Part of this endeavour was  the publication by Robert Cadell of a new standard edition of Scott's writings illustrated by JMW Turner.  

JMW Turner stayed with Scott for five days in 1831  making sketches from which arose the two paintings of Abbotsford illustrated here.    BG Windus held both of these  in his collection at Tottenham Green.   

In 2011 the Art Fund assisted the purchase of Abbotsford for display at Abbotsford itself.  Abbotsford from the northern bank of the Tweed is in a private collection. 

Sir Walter Scott died at Abbotsford in 1832.   Two paintings of the Abbotsford estate resulting from Turner's visit, Rhymers Glen and Chiefswood Cottage, were completed after Scott's death and Turner included in each of these a poignant memento to him.  These were also owned by Windus and currently form part of the Vaughan Bequest which is displayed every January in the National Gallery of Scotland.

Abbotsford