Jedburgh: History and Living Traditions

If you’re looking for a hotel in Jedburgh, the town’s history can be a helpful starting point for planning your trip. A tower house associated with Mary, a jail with a town museum, garden and monastic heritage, and local traditions give the town a range of historical highlights. Consider whether you’re most interested in architectural history, exhibitions, local customs or a combination of these themes.

A tower house, exhibitions and garden heritage

At the heart of historic Jedburgh is the Mary Queen of Scots’ Visitor Centre, a 16th-century tower house. It displays paintings, objects and textiles associated with Mary. The centre’s gardens are home to some of Jedburgh’s famous pear trees. They descend from original trees planted around Jedburgh Abbey in the early 19th century. The centre thus brings together an exhibition collection associated with Mary and a garden heritage rooted in those plantings.

Jail history and monastic heritage

Jedburgh Castle Jail was built on the site of the original Jedburgh Castle in the 1820s. Visitors can explore the original cell blocks. Jedburgh’s town museum is located in the jailer’s house. The jail therefore combines the history of the prison with a further look at the town. By contrast, the Mary Queen of Scots’ Visitor Centre has a different focus: Mary and the tower house take centre stage there.

Greyfriars Garden preserves the remains of the most extensive Franciscan friary visible in Scotland. The garden’s design also has a historical interpretation: it reflects medieval interest in horticulture. The gardens of Jedburgh therefore tell different stories. The Visitor Centre’s pear trees represent a lineage whose original trees were planted around the Abbey in the early 19th century; the design of Greyfriars Garden points to medieval horticultural interests.

Jedburgh Abbey continues to be used for important local ceremonies. Those interested in the cultural role of a historic place will find a different aspect here from the exhibitions at the Visitor Centre or the preserved monastic remains at Greyfriars Garden. Lothian Park is also home to the Hutton’s Unconformity Sculpture, which commemorates James Hutton’s discovery. These examples add a sculpture with geological associations and the Abbey’s continuing local use to the architectural and garden history.

Local traditions and trip planning

The Jethart Callant’s Festival takes place every year in summer. At the festival, the Callant receives the Jethart flag and carries it on horseback on Festival Day. The annual hand ba’ game is a 300-year-old ball game in which the uppies compete against the doonies. The two customs are quite distinct: the festival centres on the handover of the flag followed by a procession on horseback, while the ball game centres on the encounter between the two groups. If you’re planning your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates in advance.

Jethart Snails are also part of the town’s character: this Jedburgh speciality is something visitors can try. Road access is also relevant when planning your journey: Jedburgh lies on the A68, the main road between Newcastle and Edinburgh. When deciding where to stay, you can therefore take into account both the cultural themes that interest you and the town’s position on this road, without assuming a particular trip duration.

Discover more destinations: Forfar, Newtonmore, Edinburgh, Carrbridge, Longniddry, Hawick, Kingussie

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