Scotland Jedburgh Abbey, Scottish Borders

Jedburgh Abbey occupies a dramatic site above Jed Water and its ruins still dominates the view when travelling north along the A68.

The abbey is built on the site of an earlier church, which had been founded in the 9th century by Bishop Ecgred of Lindisfarne. There is nothing left of this building apart from fragments of carved stone and a shrine which are now displayed in the Abbey Visitor Centre.

An Augustinian Priory was founded in Jedburgh in 1138 by David 1and Bishop John of Glasgow and was elevated to Abbey status in 1154. David had wanted to stamp his power and authority over the ‘debatable land’ of the Scottish Border and Jeburgh was one of the four great abbeys along with Melrose, Kelso and Druburgh built in the Scottish Borders. It grew to become one of the most significant religious houses in Scotland.

Stone came from quarries work at Ulston Moor a mile away and sloping ground had to be levelled before building began. Temporary wooden structures provided accommodation during building work.

Building began at the east end of the church, and this still retains Romanesque features with chunky cylindrical columns and round arch windows.

Work extended westwards with work on the nave beginning around 1180. By now the Gothic style of architecture was prominent with much more slender columns, pointed arches and larger windows. The presbytery was extended at the east end. Church largely complete by 1200.

Work then began on the other monastic buildings. The east side of the cloister with the chapter house, was finished first. The south range with refectory and kitchens followed. Due to sloping nature of ground, this had to be raised above a massive undercroft to bring it up to cloister level.

The abbey was completed by the mid C13th and was one of the largest and most impressive abbeys in Scotland at that time, with about 40 canons. It was extremely wealthy owning considerable lands both in southern Scotland as well as Northumberland.

The abbey was vulnerable to attack during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 13th and 14th centuries. It was raided and damaged on several occasions during this period, but was rebuilt after each attack. Traces of lowered rooflines and inserted partition walls show where areas of the abbey deemed derelict were separated from those areas still fit for use.

During the C15th he abbey’s fortunes declined and there was less money for repairs. There was a serious attack in 1523 when much of the abbey was burnt. The extent of damage so great that only makeshift repairs were possible for the now impoverished community. Parts were left unusable.

By the time the abbey was dissolved by the Scottish Parliament in 1560, there were only 8 canons left. They were allowed to remain as long as they embraced thee reformed religion.

The nave had probably always been used by the town as a parish church and they continued to use the building as the parish church until a new church was built in 1875.

The north transept had long been used as the burial place for the Marquises of Lothian and was appropriated by the family in 1681 and walled off as their burial vault. Houses were constructed in the ruins of the east range and mills in the south east corner near the Jed Water. The rest was used for building stone.

The abbey was placed in state care in 1913 and is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

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[Eleanor]

Jedburgh Abbey - The Monastic buildings

The Remains of the Abbey church still dominate the site, standing high above the cloisters and east range. The east range was three storeys high to bring it from ground level to the same height as the cloisters.

This stood above a massive undercroft, which had to store enough food to last over the winter months.

At the far end were the kitchens.

A channel carried waste from the kitchen to the great drain.

River water was diverted along the great drain to flush waste away from the kitchens and latrines. Later it was used as a lade to supply water to the Abbey Mill.

Above was abbot’s lodgings, monk’s refectory and dormitory. This had night stair leading to the south transept. Little is left of these apart from foundation walls as much of it was demolished after 1560 when three houses were built on top of them.

At the top of the steps on the west side of the cloister was the outer parlour, where the monks could meet visitors.

The Chapter house was on the east side of the cloister and was where the monks met daily. It was originally much larger than the small square area. It was the favoured burial place of senior officials or important benefactors. Other monks were buried to the east of the Chapter house. Rooms on either side served as a parlour and warming house.

Part of the Cloister gardens have been recreated in front of the Abbey church.

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[Eleanor]

Jedburgh Abbey - the Abbey Church

Two highly carved Romanesque doorways lead from the cloisters into the south aisle of the Abbey Church.

The west doorway is less eroded than the east.

The church is a typical cruciform shape with a tower above the crossing and two side transepts. The lower side aisles are separated from the nave by arcades of pillars. The top Gothic windows are very different in style to the solid Romanesque ones below.

The walls of the nave and west end stand to nearly their original height.

The crossing with its lovely round arches and tower still stand,

The round arches are particularly noticeable in the south aisle. The crudely built wall below the arch probably dates from the attack of 1523, and when this part of the church was used as the parish church after the reformation.

There is little left of the east end and presbytery.

To the right of the presbytery is the remains of the Lady Chapel. The tomb slab in the centre of the floor is C12th and would have formed the top of an important tomb, possibly that of Bishop John of Glasgow who was buried bear the high altar in 1147.

There are other tomb slabs and memorials on the south wall.

The North Transept or Lothian Aisle is separated from the rest of the church by a stone wall with a small wooden doorway.

This is the burial place of the Marquises of Lothian and contains memorials from 1525 to the present day.

In pride of place in the centre is the effigy of William Schomberg Robert, the 8th Marquis who died in 1870. His wife, who outlived him, lies on the floor beside him.

The medieval tomb recess on the wall was refurbished as a memorial to Robert Lord Jedburgh who died in 1656.