St. Abbs is a small fishing village located in Berwickshire in the Scottish Border region. The village dates back to the 7
th century when a Northumbrian princess was shipwrecked off the coast. She became a nun in the convent there and later went on to become the Mother Superior and a saint. Her name was Abbess Æbbe and the name of St. Abbs is thought to come from the lady's name. In 679, the abbey was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Many believed that this was the wrath of God for the immodest behaviour of the nuns and monks.
In fact, St. Abbs was originally called Coldingham Shore. It was a place that the fishermen used for fishing and they carried their fishing gear along a one–mile path to the water's edge. It was not until the 1800's that the first houses were built here in the traditional Scottish style of a central fire and a wide chimney. By 1832, there were sixteen families living here and fishermen from Coldingham still continued to make the trip back and forth for fishing purposes.
The Laird of the village was responsible for renaming it to St. Abbs at the end of the 19
th century. It was also about this time that a large harbour was constructed here to accommodate the growing fishing industry. The fishermen still ply this trade fishing for herring, prawns and lobster. During the early days of the village, both the men and women of the community were involved in the fishery. The women would pack the herring into wooden barrels and then cure them with salt.
This village is located only 40 miles from Edinburgh and it is here that you will see the true colours of Scotland. Heritage Museum will provide you with more in–depth information about St. Abbs. According to the village folklore, St. Columba had his feet dried by two otters after he walked in the sea along the beach. Visit the St. Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve, which was established in 1984 where the underwater scenery has to be seen to be believed. It is the prefect destination if you enjoy scuba diving with the clear waters of the sea. There are several shipwrecks here and sites such as Cathedral Rock are among the top diving sites in the world.
The cliffs of St. Abbs are the prime breeding and nesting grounds for thousands of seabirds. Birdwatchers from all over flock to this area to get a glimpse of the numerous birds. When the wind is in the right direction you can hear the cries of the gulls from the village. This is also the perfect base from which you can explore the Scottish Borders region. There are several types of accommodations for you to choose from, such as a bed and breakfast in a fisherman's cottage.
