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Jedburgh (Referred to locally Jedart or Jethart) 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. Its proximity to England made it historically subject to raids and skirmishes by both Scottish and English forces. The town's population in 2001 was 4,090. This writeup will look at some of Jedburgh's long history before looking at the modern town and some of the towns in the nearby area.
History
A church had been at Jedburgh since the 9th century, founded by Bishop Ecgred of Lindisfarne, and king David I of Scotland 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.
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.
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. 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.
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 Prison opened in 1823.
The expression "Jeddart justice" or "Jethart Justice", where a man was hanged first, and tried afterward (compare Lynch law), seems to have arisen from one case of summary execution of a gang of villains.
Several notable people were born in the town, including the actress Peter McCue, in 1921. Tory MP Michael Ancram was born here in 1945, 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.
The town's most famous rugby sons are the scrum-halves, Roy Laidlaw, Gary Armstrong and utility forward Scott Martin.
The town today
The ruined abbey was the site of a major archaeological dig in 1986. It is open to the public, as is Jedburgh Castle Jail. Borders traditions like the annual Callants Rideout and bands of pipes and drums add local colour, and delicacies include Jethart Snails and Jethart Pears. Another annual event is the Jethart Hand Ba' game. The Canongate Brig dates from the 16th century, and there are some fine riverside walks. The Capon Oak Tree is reputed to be 2000 years old, and Newgate Prison and the town spire are among the town's older buildings. The town's industries included textiles, tanning and glove-making, grain mills, and electrical engineering.
Central to the festival and customs associated with the town of Jedburgh are the Jedforest Instrumental band who support many civic, religious and social events throughout the year, a service provided consistently since 1854.
Surrounding area
Other towns of interest include Kelso, Hawick, Galashiels, Selkirk, and Melrose. There are abbeys at Melrose, Kelso and Dryburgh, and Kelso boasts a fine cobbled square.
All the border towns are famous for their rugby, and Galashiels has associations with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Selkirk is where William Wallace was declared Guardian of Scotland and has many links to the Earls of Douglas, where some of his descendents live to this day and Melrose was the scene of a battle in 1526 over the stewardship of James V.
During World War II, men from the American Office of Strategic Services trained around Jedburgh for covert missions in France, these were called Operation Jedburgh after the town.
Transport
Jedburgh is situated on the A68 which along with the A1 is a major route to Edinburgh.
Jedburgh is well known to motorists in Newcastle and surrounding areas as Jedburgh is a control town to direct motorists looking for the A68 to Edinburgh.
See also
Sources and External links
"Jedburgh"