THE HOME OF WALTER SCOTT
At the beginning of August, members of the Society History SIG along with friends and family enjoyed a visit to Sir Walter Scott’s house at Abbotsford hosted by the Chief Executive of Abbotsford, Giles Ingram, assisted by Jill Paterson, Claudia Bolling and Abbotsford’s superb volunteer guides. The group were given a full tour of the house itself, including Sir Walter Scott’s famous library and study, as well as enjoying a special bonus tour of areas of the house usually off limits to visitors.
Perhaps the greatest highlight of the tour was a private exhibition of two Walter Scott manucripts – The Lay of the Last Minstrel (with key excerpts beautifully read by Giles Ingram) and the Signet Library’s own The Eve of St. John which has been on display in Scott’s Library at Abbotsford since the spring as part of their exhibition about Scott’s wife Charlotte Charpentier. Many members stayed for lunch afterwards at the magnificent Abbotsford visitor centre and made new friends whilst catching up with old ones. The visit is part of a new and ongoing collaborative relationship between the WS Society and the Abbotsford Trust.
One member commented “Spent a lovely morning at Abbotsford courtesy of the WS Society - not only a beautiful property with an interesting history, but our private tour included getting to see an original manuscript of Sir Walter Scott’s. As a former bookseller and current book enthusiast I was in my element! Thank you for arranging such a great event - looking forward to the next one! PS if any of my contacts are heading to Abbotsford themselves, ask for Nancy as your guide! She’s wonderful.”
To join the next outing, sign up to the group’s mailing list by emailing membership@wssociety.co.uk.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
ART
The Art SIG is pleased to invite members and guests to a private house tour of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterpiece, Windy Hill in Kilmacolm.
This event will take place on Sunday 30 August, 2 pm – 4 pm at Windy Hill, Rowantreehill Rd, Kilmacolm PA13 4PE.
This rare opportunity offers an intimate look at the home, a guided walkthrough of the owner's private collection of original fine art, and the chance to hear stories about the efforts to reclaim original Mackintosh fixtures. The afternoon will conclude with an art tête-à-tête featuring sparkling wine and confections.
Please RSVP directly to Valerie Paterson WS at valerie.paterson@googlemail.com.
PERFORMING ARTS
The Society is thrilled to launch our new Performing Arts Special Interest Group, open to all members. Designed to celebrate Edinburgh's vibrant cultural scene, the group will host a curated calendar of theatre, musical, and arts outings featuring a relaxed social element for networking and catching up.
Join us for our inaugural outing to the Usher Hall on Friday 2 October 2026 for the RSNO’s Shostakovich Five — featuring a powerful programme led by conductor Patrick Hahn and violist Lawrence Power.
Join the group’s mailing list by emailing membership@wssociety.co.uk.
BOOK CLUB
Our Book Club’s next book is Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen. The international bestseller described by the Telegraph as “[Franzen’s] best novel yet – A Middlemarch-like triumph.”
Join us online on Tuesday 13 October, 6.00 - 7.00 pm and sign up to the group’s mailing list by emailing membership@wssociety.co.uk.