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| Temple Of The Muses |
The Temple of the Muses is a memorial situated close to Dryburgh Abbey in the Scottish Borders. It is a few minutes walk from the abbey and can also be reached following signs from the William Wallace Statue. It is situated in a peaceful setting overlooking the River Tweed which can be crossed via the Chain Bridge.
The temple, in the form of a Greek Pavilion was erected in 1817 by the 11th Earl of Buchan as a tribute to the poet James Thomson who wrote 'the Four Seasons" and the words for 'Rule Britannia". It originally contained a statue of Apollo, the Greek God of music and poetry but at some point the statue vanished. Today it houses a modern sculpture by a local artist. The bust of James Thomson on the pinnacle has however remained.
The 11th Earl of Buchan (David Steuart Erskine) was born in 1742 and became an antiquarian and patron of the arts and sciences. he attended both St Andrews and Edinburgh Universities and in 1780 formed the Society for Antiquaries in Scotland. Buchan purchased Dryburgh House, where he lived for 40 years and was instrumental in preserving the ruins of Dryburgh Abbey. He also commissioned the original bridges (which both collapsed) over the River Tweed. Buchan died in 1829 and was buried in the family vault in Dryburgh Abbey.
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| Modern Sculpture In The Temple Of The Muses |
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