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Jedburgh is Centrally located just north of the England Scottish border to south of Edinburgh dating back to the mid 9^th century when Bishop Ecred of Lindisfarne founded two communities on the upper river Jed.

Being the main border crossing point south with routes to Newcastle on the East coast and Carlisle to the west, it saw more than its share of conflict during the wars of independence in the 14 and 1500’s.

The English attacked and burnt both the abbey and town on three occasions in the 1400’s and twice in the 1500’s, being of strategic value on the most direct route to Edinburgh.

In 1603 the Union of Crowns was the start of a peaceful period when Jedburgh became the centre of cross border trade, until 1707 and the treaty of Union which imposed import taxes on much of Scotland’s produce.

Within fifty years Jedburgh declined into a state of hardship and poverty with many leaving the border towns in search of work in the rising industrial centres south of the border.

Visitors travelling north are enticed to stop by the impressive sight of the remains of Jedburgh’s Abbey, founded as a priory by King David I, it was soon given the status of abbey in 1154.

The Abbey was plundered in 1410,1416 and 1464, the then Earl of surrey’s troops burnt it once more in 1523.

In 1544 Henry VIII wished to bring peace to the borders with Mary Queen of Scots marrying his son Edward, when refused he sent the Earl of Hertford to invaded Scotland leaving most of the border regions in ruin.

In 1549 the English retreated, when the French Crown joined the Scots and marched south ending 150 years of turmoil for Jedburgh and it’s Abbey. The ruins became the parish church until 1875 when a new church was built in the town. 

The Piper’s House was exactly that, the home of the town piper from 1604 when Adam Ainslie built it, his initials and date are inscribed above a first floor window which used to be the main entrance.

Robin Hastie was the last town piper to live occupy the house in the early 1800’s, bringing to an end a three hundred years of a member his Hastie family being Jedburgh’s piper. There is a figure on the statue of a piper mounted on the house roofs gable end.

Queen Mary’s House just off the High Street in Smith’s Wynd is now a museum dedicated to her and local history. Built in the early 16^th century it was rented by Queen Mary in 1566.

The building was originally of rough stone construction and harled, which was to render the walls with sand and lime mixed with small stones protecting it from the elements.

It was owned by Lady Ferniehirst who was from the same family as Mary before her marriage and a supporter of the Queen., although the coate of arms on the gable end is of the Wigner Family who owned when it was erected in the 17^th century.

The building had a thatched roof until the end of the 19^th century when the present slates were installed. There are a number of pear trees for which Jedburgh was famous the town orchard growing over forty different varieties, and the base stone of a cross from the  Dark Age on which are carved various mythical beasts.

Outside of the Bank of Scotland building in the High Street is a ‘Loupin-on-Stane’ or climbing on stone used help riders mount their horses, an arduious task when the rider was wearing armour for battle.

Although now demolished Jedburgh Friary was in this area, it’s the location of walls drains and graves marked out in the street by coloured inlayed stone under your feet.

The monks Franciscian order wore  grey habits to distinguish themselves from the Dominican order who wore black.  The grey friars were part of the local community providing medicine and education to the locals, much of their land was used as a market garden to sustain themselves and grow healing herbs.

Prince Charlie’s House is where he stayed in November 1745,  leading an army south to restore the Stuart’s to the throne.  A stone inlay on the second for records his stay along side a sundial with unusual features inscribed in it’s face.

Abbey Close now closed of was once the ceremonial gate to the west door of the Abbey and was once protected by the long gone David’s Tower at the entrance on Castlegate.

William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy in the close in 1803, meeting Sir Walter Scott , Mary Somerville who founded Somerville College at Oxford University also lived in the street and was closely linked to Jedburgh Academy which had school rooms in the close.

Jedburgh Castle was a prize for whoever was in occupation controlling the town and the surrounding border Burghs, changed hands on many occasions.

Frustrated with the fight Scots demolished the castle in 1409.

King Malcolm IV died in the castle in 1165 and in October 1285 the marriage ceremony of Alexander III to Yolande the daughter of the French Duke of Dreux.

During the celebrations a ghost appeared and predicted Alexander’s death within a year, which he did falling from his horse in Fife leaving Scotland in a state of uncertainty which leading to the Wars of Independence.

The nineteenth century saw the removal of the town gallows and construction of a prison which now house the local history museum open during the summer months.

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