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.[5]
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.[7]
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.[8]
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.[9]
In 1307, James Douglas, fighting for King Robert Bruce, took Jedburgh from the English with little effort.[10]
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.[11]
On 6 November 1745, the Jacobite army led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed through the town on its way to England.[15] The Castle Prison opened in 1823.[8]
In 1787, the geologist James Hutton noted what is now known as the Hutton Unconformity[16] at Inchbonny, near Jedburgh.[17][18] Layers of sedimentary rock which are tilted almost vertically are covered by newer horizontal layers of red sandstone.[19] 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."[16]
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.[20]
County Buildings, Castlegate, Jedburgh
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.[21] Roxburghshire County Council was created in 1890 and continued to meet at the County Buildings until 1930 when it moved its meetings to County OfficesatNewtown St Boswells.[22]
James Thomson (1700–1748) who wrote "Rule Britannia", was born in Ednam, a village only twelve miles away, but he was educated in Jedburgh.[25]David Brewster, physicist, mathematician, scientist, writer and inventor of the kaleidoscope, was born in Jedburgh in 1781.[26] The popular preacher Rev. Robert Aitken (1800–1873) was born in Crailing near Jedburgh.[27] General Sir Bindon Blood was born nearby in 1842.[28]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.[29] The author and broadcaster Lavinia Derwent was born in a farmhouse a few miles outside Jedburgh in 1909.[30] The Tinline brothers emigrated from Jedburgh in the late 1830s. George Tinline made a career in banking in Australia.[31]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.[32]
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.[38]
Traditional festivals and performers include the annual Callant's Festival, and Jedburgh Pipe Band and Jedforest Instrumental Band.[39] 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)[40][41] 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.[42]
The Canongate Brig dates from the 16th century. The nearby Capon Oak Tree is recognised to be of national interest[43] and the 19th century Jedburgh Castle Jail[44] and Newgate, with its spire, are among the town's notable buildings.[45]
Schooling currently takes place at Jedburgh Intergenerational Community Campus, which opened in early 2020.[46]
Although Jedburgh no longer has any rail access, it is well located on the road network. The A68 provides direct access to Edinburgh (48 miles (77 km)) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne (58 miles (93 km)). Carlisle is 57 miles (92 km) away and Hawick, Kelso, Selkirk and Galashiels are all within 20 miles (30 km).
The town is home to a Rugby Club, Jed-Forest which was founded in 1885.[49] Under-18 "Semi Junior" rugby is played by Jed Thistle at Lothian Park.[50]
Football is represented by Jed Legion FC which currently plays in 'A' League of the Border Amateur League.[51] Ancrum AFC play in the village of Ancrum just to the north at Bridgend Park and are in the Border Amateur 'B' League.[52] A 1930s club, punningly named Jed Arts, won the East of Scotland League[53] and the Border Cup[54] in 1936–37.
Jedburgh has a golf club dating from 1892; the course has 18 holes.[55]
^This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Jedburgh". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 299–300, see page 299. ...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...
^Crome, Sarah, Scotland's First War of Independence, 1999, at p. 100
^Olsen, Judy (2003). Old Jedburgh. Catrine, Ayrshire: Stenlake Publishing. p. 3. ISBN9781840332360. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
^"Visitor Attractions. Hutton's Unconformity". Jedburgh online. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012. 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.
^Trimble, Kim. "The Reivers". www.turnbullclan.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.