Jedburgh

Jedburgh (Jedart or Jethart in Scots) is a royal burgh in the Scottish Borders, lying on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot. It lies only 10 miles from the border with England, and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey. Other notable buildings in the town include Mary, Queen of Scots' House and Jedburgh Castle Jail, now a museum.

Jedburgh's History

A church had been at Jedburgh since the 9th century, and David I made it a priory between 1118 and 1138, housing Augustinian monks from Beauvais in France. The abbey itself was founded in 1147. Border wars with England in the 16th century left the abbey a magnificent ruin, still worth a visit today.

Related Topics:
Church - David I - Priory - Augustinian - Monk - Beauvais - France - Abbey

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The deeply religious Scottish king Malcolm IV died at Jedburgh in 1165, aged 24. His death was thought to be brought on by excessive fasting.

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David I had also erected a castle at Jedburgh, and in 1174, it was one of five fortresses ceded to England. It was an occasional royal residence for the Scots but captured by the English so often that it was eventually demolished in 1409, when it was the last English stronghold in Scotland.

Related Topics:
Castle - Scotland

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In 1258 Jedburgh had also been the focus of royal attention, with negotiations between Scotland's Alexander III and England's Henry III over the heir to the Scottish throne, leaving the Comyn faction dominant. Alexander III was also to marry at the abbey in 1285.

Related Topics:
Alexander III - Henry III - Throne - Comyn

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Mary, Queen of Scots stayed at a house in the town in 1566 which is now a museum. In 1745, the Jacobite army led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed through the town on its way to England, and the Prince also stayed here. The Castle Jail opened in 1823.

Related Topics:
Mary, Queen of Scots - Jacobite - Charles Edward Stuart - Jail

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"Jeddart" or "Jethart Justice", where a man was hanged first, and tried afterward, seems to have arisen from one case of summary execution of a gang of villains.

Related Topics:
Jethart Justice - Summary execution

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Several notable people were born in the town, including the actress Deborah Kerr, in 1921. Tory MP Michael Ancram was born here in 1945, and Jim Kerr of Simple Minds was born in 1959. James Thomson (1700-1748) who wrote Rule Britannia, was born nearby, and educated here. David Brewster, inventor of the kaleidoscope was also born in Jedburgh.

Related Topics:
Deborah Kerr - Tory - MP - Michael Ancram - Jim Kerr - Simple Minds - James Thomson - Rule Britannia - David Brewster - Kaleidoscope

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The town's most famous rugby sons are the scrum-halves, Roy Laidlaw and Gary Armstrong.

Related Topics:
Rugby - Scrum-halves - Roy Laidlaw - Gary Armstrong

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