Jedburgh
Encyclopedia
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh
in the Scottish Borders
and historically in Roxburghshire
.
, a tributary of the River Teviot
, it is only ten 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
.
, and king David I of Scotland
made it a priory
between 1118 and 1138, housing Augustinian monk
s 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.
Its proximity to England made it historically subject to raids and skirmishes by both Scottish and English forces.
Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed at a house in the town in 1566 which is now a museum.
Lord of Jedburgh Forest was a Lordship of Parliament that was granted to George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
on the occasion of his marriage to the Princess Mary, daughter of Robert III in 1397. It is subsidiary title of the present Earl of Angus
, the Duke of Hamilton
. The Duke of Douglas was raised to the position of Viscount Jedburgh Forest, but he died without heir in 1761.
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.
In 1787 the early geologist James Hutton
noted what is now known as the Hutton Unconformity at Inchbonny, near Jedburgh. Layers of sedimentary rock
which are tilted almost vertically are covered by newer horizontal layers of red sandstone
. 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."
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.
(1780–1872), the eminent scientist and writer, after whom Somerville College, Oxford
named.
Others include Conservative MP
, Michael Ancram
in 1945. James Thomson (1700–1748) who wrote "Rule Britannia" was born nearby, and educated in the town. David Brewster
, physicist, mathematician, scientist, writer and inventor of the kaleidoscope
was born in Jedburgh in 1781. Alexander Jeffrey (F.S.A. Scot.) worked as a solicitor in the town and was also the county historian. He died in Jedburgh in 1874. The authoress and broadcaster Lavinia Derwent
was born in a farmhouse a few miles outside Jedburgh in 1909.
According to the Scottish Barony Register and Burke's Peerage, the feudal baronial title of Baron of Jedbugh Forest is held by The Much Hon Richard Bruce Bernadotte Miller, a South African whose ancestors originated form Roxburghshire.
The town's most famous rugby
sons are the scrum-halves, Roy Laidlaw
and Gary Armstrong
.
The town's population in 2001 was 4,090 although this has now dropped to around 4,000.
The ruined abbey was the site of a major archaeological dig
in 1984. It is maintained by Historic Scotland
and open to the public (entrance charge). Many of the more important finds from the excavation are displayed on site in the modern visitor centre attached to the Abbey ruins. The Abbey, though much damaged over the years, especially by invasions from England
, is still one of the finest late Norman buildings remaining in Scotland
. Now roofless, part of the church was used as the parish church into the 19th century. Jedburgh Castle Jail, built in the early 19th century on the site of the medieval castle, is also open to the public. Borders traditions like the annual Callant's Rideout and bands of pipes
and drum
s 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.
Free Wi-Fi
has been provided around the town since the summer of 2008.
provides direct access to Edinburgh
(48 miles) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne (58 miles). Carlisle is 57 miles away and Hawick
, Kelso, Selkirk and Galashiels
are all within 20 miles.
Jedburgh is well known to motorists in both Edinburgh
and Newcastle-upon-Tyne as Jedburgh is a control town
to direct road traffic on the A68.
Bus services to Jedburgh are mainly provided by local operator Munro's of Jedburgh
.
is the sport of choice for this town. The town is home to one of the most famous and oldest Rugby Clubs in Scotland, Jed-Forest. Under-18 "Semi Junior" rugby is played by Jed Thistle at Lothian Park. Also football
is represented by Jed Legion FC which currently plays in 'B' League of the Border Amateur League. They play their home matches at Woodend. Ancrum AFC play in the village of Ancrum
just to the north and include many players from Jedburgh and are in the Border Amateur 'B' League. A Bowling Club is located at Allars Mill. Cricket was once also played at Woodend but the club disbanded in the late 80s. Many sports activities are offered in Jedburgh to children including rugby, football, swimming and badminton amongst others.
Jedburgh has the distinction of being the only Border town to have a dry ski slope. Built at Anna Road Sports Complex which also has two tennis courts, a small outdoor football pitch, a 100m sprint track and a sand pit for long jump
and triple jump
. Canoes are also available for the towns Secondary school pupils at Jedburgh Grammar School
which adjoins the complex and a "rock" for climbing and abseiling
, although not very high it gives a taster.
prison
ers of the Napoleonic War. The Cafe which sells the product is called the 'Brown Sugar Coffee Shop'.
, 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 union
, 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.
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
and historically in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
.
Location
Jedburgh lies on the Jed WaterJed Water
The Jed Water is a river and a tributary of the River Teviot in the Borders region of Scotland.In total Jed Water is over 20 miles long, it flows into the Teviot near Jedfoot Bridge from a source in the Cheviot Hills....
, a tributary of the River Teviot
River Teviot
The River Teviot, or Teviot Water, is a river of the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, and a tributary of the River Tweed.It rises in the western foothills of Comb Hill on the border of Dumfries and Galloway...
, it is only ten miles from the border with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey, a ruined Augustinian abbey which was founded in the 12th century is situated in the town of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders just north of the border with England at Carter Bar...
. Other notable buildings in the town include Mary, Queen of Scots' House and Jedburgh Castle
Jedburgh Castle
Jedburgh Castle was a castle at Jedburgh in Scotland. It was fought over during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and was demolished by the Scots in 1409.-Jedburgh Castle Jail:...
Jail, now a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
.
History
A church had been at Jedburgh since the 9th century, founded by Bishop Ecgred of LindisfarneEcgred of Lindisfarne
Ecgred of Lindisfarne was Bishop of Lindisfarne from 830 to 845. He was the founder, in 830, of a church on the site of the now ruined Jedburgh Abbey and it is thought he was also the founder of the settlement that later came to be known as Jedburgh...
, and king David I of Scotland
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
made it a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
between 1118 and 1138, housing Augustinian monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s from Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an 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
Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Earl Henry and Ada de Warenne...
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
Jedburgh Castle
Jedburgh Castle was a castle at Jedburgh in Scotland. It was fought over during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and was demolished by the Scots in 1409.-Jedburgh Castle Jail:...
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
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
In 1258 Jedburgh had also been the focus of royal attention, with negotiations between Scotland's Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
and England's Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
over the heir to the Scottish throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
, leaving the Comyn
Comyn
Comyn can refer to:* Clan Comyn, another name for Clan Cumming.People* Dan Comyn, an Irish cricketer.* Stephen George Comyn, Naval chaplain to Lord Nelson* Valens Comyn, English MP* William Leslie Comyn, Californian shipbuilder...
faction dominant. Alexander III was also to marry at the abbey in 1285.
Its proximity to England made it historically subject to raids and skirmishes by both Scottish and English forces.
Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed at a house in the town in 1566 which is now a museum.
Lord of Jedburgh Forest was a Lordship of Parliament that was granted to George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus
George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus was born at Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, Scotland. The bastard son of William, 1st Earl of Douglas and Margaret Stewart, Dowager Countess of Mar & Countess of Angus and Lady Abernethy in her own right....
on the occasion of his marriage to the Princess Mary, daughter of Robert III in 1397. It is subsidiary title of the present Earl of Angus
Earl of Angus
The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is currently held by the Duke of Hamilton.-Mormaers:...
, the Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
. The Duke of Douglas was raised to the position of Viscount Jedburgh Forest, but he died without heir in 1761.
In 1745, the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
army led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
passed through the town on its way to England, and the Prince also stayed here. The Castle Prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
opened in 1823.
In 1787 the early geologist James Hutton
James Hutton
James Hutton was a Scottish physician, geologist, naturalist, chemical manufacturer and experimental agriculturalist. He is considered the father of modern geology...
noted what is now known as the Hutton Unconformity at Inchbonny, near Jedburgh. Layers of sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
which are tilted almost vertically are covered by newer horizontal layers of red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. This was one of the findings that led him to develop his concept of an immensely long geologic time scale
Geologic time scale
The geologic time scale provides a system of chronologic measurement relating stratigraphy to time that is used by geologists, paleontologists and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth...
with "no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end."
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
Summary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
of a gang of villains.
Notable people
Several notable people were born in the town, including Mary SomervilleMary Somerville
Mary Fairfax Somerville was a Scottish science writer and polymath, at a time when women's participation in science was discouraged...
(1780–1872), the eminent scientist and writer, after whom Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
named.
Others include Conservative MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, Michael Ancram
Michael Ancram
Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, PC, QC , known as Michael Ancram, is a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician. He is a member of the House of Lords, former Member of Parliament, and a former member of the Shadow Cabinet...
in 1945. James Thomson (1700–1748) who wrote "Rule Britannia" was born nearby, and educated in the town. David Brewster
David Brewster
Sir David Brewster KH PRSE FRS FSA FSSA MICE was a Scottish physicist, mathematician, astronomer, inventor, writer and university principal.-Early life:...
, physicist, mathematician, scientist, writer and inventor of the kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors...
was born in Jedburgh in 1781. Alexander Jeffrey (F.S.A. Scot.) worked as a solicitor in the town and was also the county historian. He died in Jedburgh in 1874. The authoress and broadcaster Lavinia Derwent
Lavinia Derwent
Lavinia Derwent was the pen name of Scottish author and broadcaster Elizabeth Dodd MBE .She was born in an isolated farmhouse in the Cheviot hills some seven miles from Jedburgh. She began making up stories about animals at an early age. Her most famous creation was "Tammy Troot" who entranced...
was born in a farmhouse a few miles outside Jedburgh in 1909.
According to the Scottish Barony Register and Burke's Peerage, the feudal baronial title of Baron of Jedbugh Forest is held by The Much Hon Richard Bruce Bernadotte Miller, a South African whose ancestors originated form Roxburghshire.
The town's most famous rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
sons are the scrum-halves, Roy Laidlaw
Roy Laidlaw
Roy James Laidlaw is a Scottish rugby union footballer. Laidlaw was capped 47 times, as a scrum half, for Scotland between 1980–1988, and British Lions in New Zealand in 1983....
and Gary Armstrong
Gary Armstrong
Gary Armstrong is a former Scottish rugby union player who played scrum-half. He played for Jed-Forest RFC, Newcastle Falcons, The Borders and represented Scotland and the British Lions. His nickname is the Border Terrier...
.
The town today
The ruined abbey was the site of a major archaeological dig
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
in 1984. It is maintained by Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
and open to the public (entrance charge). Many of the more important finds from the excavation are displayed on site in the modern visitor centre attached to the Abbey ruins. The Abbey, though much damaged over the years, especially by invasions from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is still one of the finest late Norman buildings remaining in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Now roofless, part of the church was used as the parish church into the 19th century. Jedburgh Castle Jail, built in the early 19th century on the site of the medieval castle, is also open to the public. Borders traditions like the annual Callant's Rideout and bands of pipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s 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
Capon Oak Tree
The Capon Oak Tree is one of the last surviving trees of the ancient Jedforest, close to Jedwater, the small river which has cut a dramatic course below soft sandstone cliffs.It is located south of Jedburgh, Scotland, west of the A68....
is reputed to be 2000 years old, and Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall. The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1777...
and the town spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
are among the town's older buildings. The town's industries included textiles, tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
and glove-making, grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
mills, and electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
. 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.
Free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
has been provided around the town since the summer of 2008.
Transport
Although Jedburgh has no rail access it is well located on the road network. The A68A68 road
The A68 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Darlington in England to the A720 in Scotland.From Darlington, the road runs north, bypassing Bishop Auckland, and running through West Auckland, Toft Hill and Tow Law, past Consett and Corbridge...
provides direct access to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(48 miles) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne (58 miles). Carlisle is 57 miles away and Hawick
Hawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
, Kelso, Selkirk and Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
are all within 20 miles.
Jedburgh is well known to motorists in both Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Newcastle-upon-Tyne as Jedburgh is a control town
Control city
A control city is a city or locality posted on a traffic sign indicating forward destinations on a certain route. These destinations aid motorists using the highway system to reach destinations along the various routes...
to direct road traffic on the A68.
Bus services to Jedburgh are mainly provided by local operator Munro's of Jedburgh
Munro's of Jedburgh
Munro's of Jedburgh is a bus operating company based in the Scottish Borders town of Jedburgh. They operate a number of local routes both in the Scottish Borders and in Midlothian.-History:...
.
Sport
Rugby UnionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is the sport of choice for this town. The town is home to one of the most famous and oldest Rugby Clubs in Scotland, Jed-Forest. Under-18 "Semi Junior" rugby is played by Jed Thistle at Lothian Park. Also football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
is represented by Jed Legion FC which currently plays in 'B' League of the Border Amateur League. They play their home matches at Woodend. Ancrum AFC play in the village of Ancrum
Ancrum
Ancrum is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, north of Jedburgh and south of St Boswells....
just to the north and include many players from Jedburgh and are in the Border Amateur 'B' League. A Bowling Club is located at Allars Mill. Cricket was once also played at Woodend but the club disbanded in the late 80s. Many sports activities are offered in Jedburgh to children including rugby, football, swimming and badminton amongst others.
Jedburgh has the distinction of being the only Border town to have a dry ski slope. Built at Anna Road Sports Complex which also has two tennis courts, a small outdoor football pitch, a 100m sprint track and a sand pit for long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
and triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
. Canoes are also available for the towns Secondary school pupils at Jedburgh Grammar School
Jedburgh Grammar School
Jedburgh Grammar School is a state secondary school in Jedburgh, Scotland, with around 440 pupils, 40 teaching staff, and 15 non-teaching staff.-Architecture:...
which adjoins the complex and a "rock" for climbing and abseiling
Abseiling
Abseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
, although not very high it gives a taster.
Jethart Snails
A local speciality, this is a brown mint-flavoured boiled sweet. The recipe is believed to have been brought to the town by FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
ers of the Napoleonic War. The Cafe which sells the product is called the 'Brown Sugar Coffee Shop'.
Surrounding area
Other towns of interest include Kelso, HawickHawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
, Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
, Selkirk, and Melrose
Melrose, Scotland
Melrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
. There are abbeys at Melrose, Kelso
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
and Dryburgh
Dryburgh
Dryburgh is a village in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, famous for the ruined Dryburgh Abbey.-The Temple of the Muses:This circular nine columned gazebo stands since 1817 on Bass Hill, a mound overlooking the River Tweed at the west end of the village...
, and Kelso boasts a fine cobbled square.
All the border towns are famous for their rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, and Galashiels has associations with William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
and Robert the Bruce. Selkirk is where William Wallace was declared Guardian of Scotland
Guardian of Scotland
The Guardians of Scotland were the de facto heads of state of Scotland during the First Interregnum of 1290–1292, and the Second Interregnum of 1296–1306...
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.
See also
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland
- Jed-Forest Rugby Football ClubJed-Forest RFCJed-Forest Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team who are based at Riverside Park in Jedburgh.One of the world's oldest and most famous clubs, the team was founded in 1885 and currently play in Premiership Division Two and the Border League .-Honours:Kings of the Sevens - 2006Jed-Forest Sevens...
Sources and External links
- Jedburgh Town Website Website
- Jedburgh Brass band (Jedforest Instrumental) Website
- Jedburgh Online Community Website
- Jed-Forest Rugby Football Club
- Jedburgh Badminton Club
- Jedburgh Attractions
- A recording of the Victorian song 'Jedwater' by David Kilpatrick, Traditional Music and Song Association Scottish Borders branch
- http://www.armorial-register.com/arms-en/miller-rbb-arms.html