"The Abbot" is a historical novel by Walter Scott, published in the fall of 1820. Together with the novel "The Monastery", he is included in the cycle "Tales from Benedictine Sources". These works are connected by several characters and a common theme: they describe the development and triumph of Protestantism in Scotland. The action of "The Abbot" revolves around Mary Stuart, namely, the period of her imprisonment in Lohleven Castle, flight and subsequent defeat is described.

Along with the novels of the "Waverley" series, "The Abbot" was presented as a sequel to "The Monastery" and was allegedly written from the same sources. The opening remarks to the first edition state that the story continues from the Benedictine manuscript. Unlike its predecessor, "The Abbot" was warmly received by critics and largely helped Scott restore the reputation that "Ivanhoe" had created, tarnished by the failure of "The Monastery". Lohleven has become a place of pilgrimage for tourists. The success of the novel also proved to Scott that the 16th century is a fertile ground for historical literature. The writer returned to this period in the next work - "Kenilworth".

The contract for the creation of the second novel was signed even before the completion of "The Monastery". The idea of publishing a sequel first appears in a letter from John Ballantyne to the owners of Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown (1819), to which they immediately agreed. This also suited Walter Scott, as it helped to improve financial affairs. He did not start work on the book right away, but by the beginning of September it was finished.

It is concerned mainly with Queen Mary's imprisonment at Loch Leven Castle in 1567, her escape, and her defeat. Parallel to this is the romance of Roland Graeme, a dim-witted but spirited youth. He is brought up at the castle of Avenel by Mary Avenel and her husband, Halbert Glendinning. Roland is sent by the Regent Murray to be page to Mary Stuart with directions to guard her. He falls in love with Catherine Seyton, who is one of the ladies-in-waiting to the queen. He is found later to be the heir to Avenel. Edward Glendinning, the brother of Halbert, is the abbot of the title, the last abbot of the monastery described in the preceding novel.