Jedburgh

Jedburgh began as Jedworð, the "worth" or enclosed settlement on the Jed. Later the more familiar word "burgh" was substituted for this, though the original name survives as Jeddart/Jethart.{{cite web|title=The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border Counties|first=May|last=Williamson|date=1942|publisher=Edinburgh University|url=https://waughfamily.ca/Ancient/MayWilliamsonComplete.pdf|pages=16–17|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813051112/https://waughfamily.ca/Ancient/MayWilliamsonComplete.pdf|archive-date=13 August 2015}}

Bishop Ecgred of Lindisfarne founded a church at Jedburgh in the 9th century, and King David I of Scotland made it a priory between 1118 and 1138, housing Augustinian monks from Beauvais in France. The abbey was founded in 1147, but border wars with England in the 16th century left it a ruin.{{EB1911|wstitle= Jedburgh |volume= 15 |last= |first= |author-link= | pages = 299–300, see page 299 |quote= ...David, prince of Cumbria, here founded a priory for Augustinian monks..... and in 1147, [he] erected it into an abbey...Repeatedly damaged in Border warfare, it was ruined in 1544–45...}}

The deeply religious Scottish king Malcolm IV died at Jedburgh in 1165, aged 24. His death is thought to have been caused by Paget's disease of bone.{{Cite ODNB|title=Malcolm IV (1141–1165), king of Scots|last=Scott|first=W. W.|date=2004-09-23|series=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/17860}}

David I built 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. It was demolished in 1409.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB35482|desc=Castlegate, Jedburgh Castle Old Jail with exercise yard walls, fortifications, portcullis gates, entrance gates and outer embankment wall|cat=A|access-date=2019-02-21}}

File:Jedabbey21 (1).jpg]]

In 1258, Jedburgh was a focus of royal attention, with negotiations between Scotland's Alexander III and England's Henry III over the succession to the Scottish throne, leaving the Comyn faction dominant. Alexander III was married to Yolande in the abbey in 1285.{{cite book|first=Sharon Bennett|last=Connolly|title=Heroines of the Medieval World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyo2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT116|date=15 September 2017|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1-4456-6265-7|pages=116–}}

In 1307, James Douglas, fighting for King Robert Bruce, took Jedburgh from the English with little effort.Crome, Sarah, Scotland's First War of Independence, 1999, at p. 100

Its proximity to England made it subject to raids and skirmishes by both Scottish and English forces but its strategic position also brought the town valuable trade. At various times and at various locations the town supported a horse market, a cattle market, a corn market and a butcher market. Farm workers and servants also attended hiring fairs seeking employment.{{cite book|last=Olsen|first=Judy|title=Old Jedburgh|year=2003|publisher=Stenlake Publishing|location=Catrine, Ayrshire|isbn=9781840332360|page=3|url=http://www.stenlake.co.uk/books/view_book.php?ref=299|access-date=26 July 2013|archive-date=15 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215115054/http://stenlake.co.uk/books/view_book.php?ref=299|url-status=dead}}

Jedburgh was burnt in September 1523 by an English force commanded by William Bulmer and Thomas Tempest. The Earl of Surrey reported the town had more houses than Berwick-upon-Tweed and six good towers. The horses stampeded from the English camp, some into the burning town.Henry Ellis, Original Letters, Series 1 vol. 1 (London, 1824) pp. 214–218. Such was the panic, Lord Dacre's men said that the Devil was seen amongst them.Richard Grafton, Chronicle At Large, 2 (London, 1809), p. 317. During the war with England now known as the "Rough Wooing", the Scots and their French allies made plans to fortify Jedburgh in 1549, with the advice of Camillo Marini, an Italian military engineer.Marie-Noëlle Baudouin-Matuszek, "Un ambassadeur en Ecosse au XVIe siècle: Henri Clutin d'Oisel", Revue Historique, 281:1 (569) (January–March 1989), p. 96.

Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed at a certain house in the town in 1566 and that house is now a museum – Mary Queen of Scots House.{{cite web|url= http://www.jedburgh.org.uk/attraction-mary-queen-of-scots-house |title=Mary Queen of Scots House |access-date=2017-09-06 |website=Jedburgh.org.uk |date=2012–2017}} Mary fell ill, and on 25 October 1566, the Privy council issued a "Proclamation to keep good rule at Jedburgh" during the time of her recuperation. No one should pursue their private quarrel and arm themselves, on pain of death for treason.John Parker Lawson, History of Scotland by Robert Keith, 2 (Edinburgh: Spottiswoode Society, 1845), pp. 468–469.

The title "Lord of Jedburgh Forest" was granted to George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus on his marriage to the Princess Mary, daughter of Robert III in 1397.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3GQhAQAAMAAJ&pg=PR78|title=The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland|volume=11|year=1894|page=LXXVIII|publisher=H.M. General Register House }} The titles of Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke of Douglas included "Viscount Jedburgh Forest", but he died without an heir in 1761.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k7IKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA159|title=Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, Or Dormant|publisher=G. Bell and Sons|volume=3|year=1890|page=159}}

On 6 November 1745, the Jacobite army led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed through the town on its way to England.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e8tpAAAAMAAJ|title=Prince Charles Edward Stuart: The Young Chevalier|publisher=Longman, Green & Company|first= Andrew|last= Lang|year=1903|page=201}} The Castle Prison opened in 1823.

In 1787, the geologist James Hutton noted what is now known as the Hutton Unconformity at Inchbonny, near Jedburgh.{{cite web |url=http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/424/border_brains_walks_guide_2011 |title=Border Brains Walks Berwickshire |access-date=2012-06-29 |author=Graphic Design Section |year=1999 |publisher=Scottish Borders Council |archive-date=18 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018201157/http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/424/border_brains_walks_guide_2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://nagt.org/files/nagt/jge/abstracts/Montgomery_v51n5.pdf |title=Siccar Point and Teaching the History of Geology |access-date=2008-03-26 |first=Keith |last=Montgomery |year=2003 |publisher=University of Wisconsin }} Layers of sedimentary rock which are tilted almost vertically are covered by newer horizontal layers of red sandstone.{{cite web |url= http://www.jedburgh.org.uk/page2/index.html |title= Visitor Attractions. Hutton's Unconformity |access-date= 2012-06-29 |work= Jedburgh online |quote= Whilst visiting Allar's Mill on the Jed Water, Hutton was delighted to see horizontal bands of red sandstone lying 'unconformably' on top of near vertical and folded bands of rock. |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120202070634/http://www.jedburgh.org.uk/page2/index.html |archive-date= 2012-02-02 }} This was one of the findings that led him to develop his concept of an immensely long geologic time scale with "no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end."{{cite web|url=http://www.amnh.org/education/resources/rfl/web/essaybooks/earth/p_hutton.html |title=James Hutton: The Founder of Modern Geology |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |work=Earth: Inside and Out |year=2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225940/http://www.amnh.org/education/resources/rfl/web/essaybooks/earth/p_hutton.html |archive-date=2016-03-03}}

File:Jed town hall awaits the Rideout return.jpg]]

The Scots name for the town is part of the expression "Jeddart justice" or "Jethart Justice", in which a man was hanged first, and tried afterwards.{{Cite web|url=http://www.turnbullclan.com/features/150-events/275-the-reivers|title=The Reivers|last=Trimble|first=Kim|website=www.turnbullclan.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-03-28|archive-date=28 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328232846/http://www.turnbullclan.com/features/150-events/275-the-reivers|url-status=dead}}

File:Jedburgh - Queen Victoria Golden Jubilee Fountain - geograph.org.uk - 2636186.jpg

Jedburgh became the county town of Roxburghshire after the original county town of Roxburgh was abandoned following the destruction of Roxburgh Castle in 1460 during the Anglo-Scottish Wars. In 1812, County Buildings was built at the junction of Market Place and Castlegate in Jedburgh, serving as both a sheriff court and meeting place for the Commissioners of Supply.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB35503|desc=Jedburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court (Former County Buildings) including wall and railings, Castlegate, Jedburgh|cat=B|access-date=12 December 2022}} Roxburghshire County Council was created in 1890 and continued to meet at the County Buildings until 1930 when it moved its meetings to County Offices at Newtown St Boswells.{{cite news |title=County Council meeting: Jedburgh meeting place to be abandoned |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=13 December 2022 |work=Hawick News |date=19 December 1930 |page=6}}

The town's name was used for Operation Jedburgh, a clandestine operation by allied soldiers in occupied Europe during the Second World War.{{cite book |last=Milton |first=Giles |author-link=Giles Milton |title=The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare |publisher=John Murray |location=London |year=2016 |isbn=9781444798951 |page=282 }}

{{Unsourced|section|date=July 2023}}

File:Jedburgh2.jpg

Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot. It is {{convert|10|mi|km}} from the border with England, and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey. Other notable buildings in the town include Queen Mary's House, Jedburgh Castle Jail, now a museum, and the Jedburgh Library.

Other places nearby are Ancrum, Bairnkine, Bonjedward, Camptown, Crailing, Edgerston, Ferniehirst Castle, Nisbet and Oxnam.

file:Plaque on the entrance to Allerley Well Park - geograph.org.uk - 771807.jpg]]

Several notable people were born in the town, including Rev Dr Thomas Somerville's niece, Mary Somerville, in 1780{{cite book |title=Somerville, Mary Fairfax Greig |year=1981 |series=Dictionary of Scientific Biography |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons |location=New York |volume=11 & 12 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofscie11gill/page/521 521]–522 |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofscie11gill|url-access=registration }} (the eminent scientist and writer, after whom Somerville College, Oxford is named, and who appeared on the Royal Bank of Scotland £10 note from 2017).

James Thomson (1700–1748) who wrote "Rule Britannia", was born in Ednam, a village only twelve miles away, but he was educated in Jedburgh.{{cite web |title=James Thomson |url=https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/james-thomson |website=Westminster Abbey |publisher=Dean and Chapter of Westminster |access-date=25 July 2022}} David Brewster, physicist, mathematician, scientist, writer and inventor of the kaleidoscope, was born in Jedburgh in 1781.{{cite web |title=Inventor of the Kaleidoscope |url=https://brewstersociety.com/kaleidoscope-university/sir-david-brewster/ |website=Brewster Kaleidescope Society |access-date=25 July 2022}} The popular preacher Rev. Robert Aitken (1800–1873) was born in Crailing near Jedburgh.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-51oDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1868|title=Modern English Biography: A-H|volume=1|page=1868|first= Frederic |last=Boase|year=2018|publisher=Litres |isbn=9785041269647 }} General Sir Bindon Blood was born nearby in 1842.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LI8UAQAAIAAJ|title=Who was who in British India| first=John F. |last=Riddick |publisher=Greenwood Press|year= 1998|isbn= 978-0313292323|page=37}} Alexander Jeffrey (F.S.A. Scot.) was a solicitor in the town and was also the county historian: he lived in Jedburgh until his death in 1874.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VBQnAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA393|title=Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland|year=1871 |volume=8|page=393|publisher=Society }} The author and broadcaster Lavinia Derwent was born in a farmhouse a few miles outside Jedburgh in 1909.{{cite ODNB|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/74090 |title=Moira Burgess: "Dodd, Elizabeth (pseud. Lavinia Derwent)"|year= 2005|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/74090 |access-date=22 October 2022}} The Tinline brothers emigrated from Jedburgh in the late 1830s. George Tinline made a career in banking in Australia.{{cite AuDB |first=Christine |last=Hirst |author-link= |title=Tinline, George (1815–1895) |volume=6 |edition= |year=1976 |id2=tinline-george-4725 |access-date=2 April 2020}} John Tinline went to New Zealand and made his wealth in farming. John returned to Jedburgh later in life and gifted Allerley Well Park to his hometown.{{cite book |page=386 | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda | volume = II | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v2.pdf | access-date = 2 April 2020 }}

The town's well known rugby players are the scrum-halves, Roy Laidlaw,{{Cite web|title=Roy James Laidlaw|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/player/8593.html|access-date=2021-10-05|website=ESPN scrum}} his nephew, Scotland rugby team captain Greig Laidlaw{{cite news|url=https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/jedburgh-rugby-star-greig-laidlaw-and-gordon-paralympian-sammi-kinghorn-to-lead-2022-doddie-aid-fundraising-in-borders-3514559|title=Jedburgh rugby star Greig Laidlaw and Gordon Paralympian Sammi Kinghorn to lead 2022 Doddie Aid fundraising in Borders|date=4 January 2022|newspaper=Southern Reporter|access-date=22 October 2022}} and Gary Armstrong.{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/rugby/13716448.The_50_Greatest_Scottish_Rugby_Players_Part_VI__3_1/ |title=The 50 Greatest Scottish Rugby Players Part VI 3 - 1 |work=The Herald |date=12 September 2015 |access-date=20 January 2018}} Douglas Young fought at Heavyweight at the 1984 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |title=Boxing at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games: Men's Heavyweight |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1984/BOX/mens-heavyweight.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=15 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418045600/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1984/BOX/mens-heavyweight.html |archive-date=18 April 2020 |url-status=dead}}

Emmy Award-winning journalist Nick Watt is from Jedburgh and hosted a short film about the town for the Travel Channel.{{cite web |url=https://www.travelchannel.com/videos/nick-watts-hometown-0239437 |title=Nick Watt's Hometown |date=2015 |publisher=Travel Channel |access-date=28 April 2020}}

File:Canongate in 2018.jpeg

The abbey is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland and open to the public (there is an entry fee). Finds from excavations are displayed on site in the visitor centre attached to the Abbey ruins. The shell of the abbey, though much damaged over the years, is still largely complete.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM13126|desc=Jedburgh Abbey, 50m ESE of Abbey House|access-date=21 February 2019}}

Traditional festivals and performers include the annual Callant's Festival, and Jedburgh Pipe Band and Jedforest Instrumental Band.{{cite news|url=https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/people/jedforest-instrumental-band-celebrate-to-the-tune-to-ps63000-cash-boost-1436796|title=Jedforest Instrumental Band celebrate to the tune to £63,000 cash boost|date=11 February 2020|newspaper=Southern Reporter|access-date=22 October 2022}} Local delicacies include Jethart Snails (boiled sweets in the shape of a snail, said to originate from a recipe given to a local baker by a French prisoner, during the Napoleonic Wars){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DoEKAQAAMAAJ&q=snails|title=The County of Roxburgh|first=John|last=Herdman|date=22 November 1992|publisher=Scottish Academic Press|isbn=9780707307206|via=Google Books}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RL6LAwAAQBAJ&q=jeddart+snails&pg=PA797|title=The Oxford Companion to Food|first=Alan|last=Davidson|date=22 January 2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780199677337}} and Jethart pears. The fertile soil of Jedburgh makes it good for growing pear trees, and the pear trade was a thriving industry in Jedburgh for centuries.{{cite news|url=https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/features/19055330.jethart-pears/|title=Mary Queen of Scots: the origins of Jedburgh's once celebrated pear-production|date=3 February 2021|newspaper=The Forestry Journal| access-date=22 October 2022}}

An annual event is the Jethart Hand Ba game.

{{Wide image|Panorama of Jedburgh Ba game 27 Feb 2020.jpg|500px|Ba game, Jedburgh, February 2020|200%}}

The Canongate Brig dates from the 16th century. The nearby Capon Oak Tree is recognised to be of national interest{{Cite web|title=Tree - Ancient Tree Inventory|url=https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/tree?treeid=5320#/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk|language=en}} and the 19th century Jedburgh Castle Jail{{Cite journal |last1=Wood |first1=John R. I. |last2=Muñoz-Rodríguez |first2=Pablo |last3=Williams |first3=Bethany R. M. |last4=Scotland |first4=Robert W. |date=2020-03-16 |title=A foundation monograph of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in the New World |journal=PhytoKeys |issue=143 |at=Figure 20 |doi=10.3897/phytokeys.143.32821.figure20 |s2cid=241349084 |doi-access=free}} and Newgate, with its spire, are among the town's notable buildings.{{Historic Environment Scotland|desc=Newgate, Abbey Place, Jedburgh|num=35247| access-date=22 October 2022}}

Schooling currently takes place at Jedburgh Intergenerational Community Campus, which opened in early 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/news/article/4317/jedburgh_grammar_campus_joins_doors_open_days_festival_line_up|title=Jedburgh Grammar Campus joins Doors Open Days Festival line up|date=25 August 2022|publisher=Scottish Borders Council| access-date=22 October 2022}}

Although Jedburgh no longer has any rail access, it is well located on the road network. The A68 provides direct access to Edinburgh ({{convert|48|mi}}) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne ({{convert|58|mi}}). Carlisle is {{convert|57|mi}} away and Hawick, Kelso, Selkirk and Galashiels are all within {{convert|20|mi|sigfig=1}}.

Jedburgh is known to motorists from the Edinburgh and Newcastle-upon-Tyne areas as Jedburgh is signposted as a primary destination on the A68.

Bus services to Jedburgh are provided by Borders Buses.{{cite web|url=https://www.bordersbuses.co.uk/timetables |title=Borders Buses Timetables |access-date=2017-07-01}} Until July 2013, they were mostly run by local operator Munro's of Jedburgh.{{cite web|url=http://www.munrosofjedburgh.co.uk/ |title=Munro's of Jedburgh – Home Page |publisher=Munrosofjedburgh.co.uk |date=2011-08-08 |access-date=2013-01-12}}

The town is home to a Rugby Club, Jed-Forest which was founded in 1885.{{Cite web|url=http://scottishborders.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s14844/Jed-Forest%20RFC%20Application.pdf|title=Application for financial assistance|date=23 Jan 2017|website=Scottish borders council}} Under-18 "Semi Junior" rugby is played by Jed Thistle at Lothian Park.{{cite news|url=https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/thistle-display-merciless-form-gain-vengeance-over-rivals-194199|title=Thistle display merciless form to gain vengeance over rivals|date=6 December 2018|newspaper=Southern Reporter|access-date=22 October 2022}}

Football is represented by Jed Legion FC which currently plays in 'A' League of the Border Amateur League.{{cite web|url=http://bafl.leaguerepublic.com/ |title=Border Amateur Football League ::Border Amateur Football League |publisher=Bafl.leaguerepublic.com |access-date=2013-01-12}} Ancrum AFC play in the village of Ancrum just to the north at Bridgend Park and are in the Border Amateur 'B' League.{{cite news|url=https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/football/tweeddale-in-comfortable-friendly-win-over-ancrum-3327034|title=Tweeddale in comfortable friendly win over Ancrum|date=28 July 2021| newspaper=Southern Reporter|access-date=22 October 2022}} A 1930s club, punningly named Jed Arts, won the East of Scotland League{{cite journal |title=Jed Arts Here! |journal=Edinburgh Evening News |date=1 May 1937 |page=19}} and the Border Cup{{cite journal |title=Border Cup |journal=Edinburgh Evening News |date=27 March 1937 |page=21}} in 1936–37.

Jedburgh has a golf club dating from 1892; the course has 18 holes.{{cite web|url=https://www.jedburghgolfclub.co.uk/|title=My Homepage|website=Jedburgh Golf Club}}

• Jed-Forest Rugby Football Club
• Jedburgh (Parliament of Scotland constituency)
• List of places in the Scottish Borders
• List of places in Scotland

{{Reflist}}

• {{EB1911|wstitle=Jedburgh|volume=15|pages=307–308}}

{{commons category|Jedburgh}}

• [http://www.jedburgh.org.uk Jedburgh Town Website]

{{Scottish Borders settlements}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Former county towns in Scotland

Category:Parishes in Roxburghshire

Category:Towns in the Scottish Borders