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Abbotsford Club

Text publication society in Edinburgh, Scotland1

The Abbotsford Club was a text publication society founded in Edinburgh in 1833 or 1834. This was shortly after the death of Sir Walter Scott (in September 1832), whose residence of Abbotsford House gave the society its name, and whose literature the club's publications sought to illuminate. The club was modelled on the Roxburghe Club, of which Scott himself had been a member, as well as the Bannatyne Club, which was founded by Scott, and the Glasgow-centred Maitland Club.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1833Founded1

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The Abbotsford Club was a text publication society founded in Edinburgh in 1833 or 1834. This was shortly after the death of Sir Walter Scott (in September 1832), whose residence of Abbotsford House gave the society its name, and whose literature the club's publications sought to illuminate. The club was modelled on the Roxburghe Club, of which Scott himself had been a member, as well as the Bannatyne Club, which was founded by Scott, and the Glasgow-centred Maitland Club. The founder and first secretary of the club was William Barclay Turnbull, a young Edinburgh lawyer. The stated objective of the Abbotsford Club was "the printing of Miscellaneous Pieces, illustrative of History, Literature, and Antiquities". Through its publishing activity, the club did much to promote the proliferation of Middle English literature. The Abbotsford Club effectively ceased publication in 1866.2

Timeline

  1. 1833Founded Founded1

Sources

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