THE P RTAL
August 2014
the summer at Abbotsford with his good friend
while also undertaking many conversions to
Catholicism in the Scottish Borders and helping
to found a number of Catholic Churches.
James Hope-Scott was ever mindful of the
religious needs of others and, through his
benevolence, built two churches for the use
of the Catholic community of Galashiels.
When the first chapel proved too small to
accommodate the increasing population
of the town he purchased land and built Bl John Henry Newman
a larger church, Our Lady and St
Andrew. Sadly, James Hope-Scott did
not live to attend the opening of the
church.
John Henry Newman
preached the Eulogy
James Hope-Scott died on the 20th
of April 1873, aged 61, and his funeral
was held in the Jesuit Church of the
Immaculate Conception in Farm
Street, London, at which John Henry
Newman preached the Eulogy. HopeScott was buried in Edinburgh beside
his first wife, Charlotte.
Mary Hope-Scott
Page 22
Benedict XVI
Prior to the Beatification of John Henry
Newman in Birmingham on 19th September
2010, the vestments had never been on
public display. During the visit by Pope
Benedict XVI the vestments were taken to
Edinburgh for the Pontiff to see. A few days
later, on 19th September 2014, following
the Beatification, the two chasubles worn
by Blessed John Henry Newman became
second-class holy relics.
Abbotsford House decided that
these events merited the vestments
being put on permanent display. A
new secure display area was created
in the chapel entrance where the
vestments and other artefacts can
now be seen by all who visit one of the
most famous houses in the world.
Abbotsford reflects, in a unique
way, the mind, enthusiasms and
preoccupations of Sir Walter Scott, the
man who built it. But now Abbotsford
House also recalls the visits to say
Mass for his friend, of the man whose
motto was “Heart speaks unto Heart”,
Blessed John Henry Newman.
Charlotte and James had three
Abbotsford House
children but only their eldest daughter,
Mary Monica Hope-Scott, survived
A visit to Abbotsford House to
into adulthood. It was to her that
see the vestments and, of course,
Abbotsford passed when her father
Scott’s magnificent mansion, is
died. The following year she married
surely a must for everyone within the
Joseph
Constable-Maxwell
and
Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of
One of the two Chasubles which
adopted the surname Maxwell-Scott.
Walsingham. The house and gardens
belonged to Bl John Henry Newman
Mary had known Newman all her life
are open every day from April to
and the two were close confidants. It was in recognition November between 10am and 5pm (4pm from
of this friendship that Newman gave two beautiful October to November).
chasubles, as well as his biretta and missal, which were
Visit www.scottsabbotsford.com
used by him when he visited Abbotsford. One of the
chasubles is believed to include 16th century tapestry
panels mounted onto 18th century silk, and the second
is a fine example of a 19th
century vestment.
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