Jethart in Artz

Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland is where my 7^th Great Grandmother was from. She came to America sometime before 1720.

Jedburgh, Jethart, Jeddart, Jed-worth or to translate, it is the town of Jed. It is on the bank of Jed Water in the southeast of Teviotdale. Sounds like a place from the mind of J.R. Tolkien.

In 1118 David I built a priory here. In 1147 it was built upon and changed into the most beautiful Abbey in all of Scotland and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  In 1523 the Earl of Surrey launching an attack on the village, and the Abbey ransacked it and ordered it burned. Several years later Sir Evers attacked it and in 1544 the Earl of Hereford again attacked and once more burned the Abbey. Finally in 1559 the Abbey was abandoned and all revenues reverted to the Crown.

Most of the Abbey walls still stand as does many of the out-buildings. It is one of the most perfect and beautiful examples of Saxon and early Gothic architecture in all of Scotland.

David Brewster the inventor of the kaleidoscope was born in Jedburgh in 1781 which is reason enough in my book to love this place.

                                                    Inner picture of a cigar box from the early 1900s with a portrait of Brewster.

This week join us as we visit Jethart in Artz.