Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

JEDBURGH.
65
each ; and the third, of elegant pointed windows.
The lofty western gable possesses a Norman door of
uncommon beauty, the archway exhibiting a pro-
fusion of ornamented mouldings, supported by slen-
der pillars to the depth of 7| feet. Above it is a
large window, with a semicircular arch flanked by
small blank pointed arches, in long slender shafts,
and this is surmounted by a beautiful St. Catherine's
wheel. On the south side of the choir, there is a
chapel which was once appropriated to the use of the
grammar-school * * But the chief object of archi-
tectural interest in this abbey is the Norman door,
which formed the southern entrance to the church
from the cloisters. This, for the elegance of its
woi'kmanship, and the symmetry of its proportions,
is unrivalled in Scotland. Its sculptured mouldings
springing from slender shafts, with capitals richly
wreathed, exhibit the representations of flowers,
men, and various animals, executed with surprising
minuteness and delicacy. ' This venerable pile,'
says the late Archibald Elliot, architect, in his re-
port to the heritors respecting some of its projected
repairs, 'in my opinion, is the most perfect and
beautiful example of the Saxon and early Gothic in
Scotland.' Its grand appearance is imposing, and
admirably accords with the scenery of the romantic-
valley in which it is situated." — St. Kennoch is re-
ported to have been Abbot of Jedburgh in the year
1000, and to have laboriously but effectually exerted
his influence, during a considerable period, for the
conservation of the international .peace. The tra-
ditional history respecting him, and the apparently
high antiquity of the remains of the choir, would
seem to dictate that the abbey had a very early ex-
istence. But the Melrose Chronicle, under the year
1174, has the entry, " Obiit Osbertus primus abbas
de Jeddewrtha;" and, on this and other grounds, the
abbey is perhaps regarded correctly, by the author of
Caledonia, and other writers, as having been, not re-
edified or extended, but originally founded in the
year 1147, by David I. Its monks were canons-
regular, brought, in the first instance, from Beauvais.
The abbey was endowed, by its royal founder, with
the tithes of the two Jedworths of Langton, of
Nisbet, and of Crailing, and with other important
property ; by Malcolm IV., with the churches of
Brandon and Grendon in Northamptonshire, and
with some lands and a fishery on the Tweed; by
Ranulph de Soulis, with the church of Dodington,
near Brandon, and the church in the vale of the Lid-
del ; and by William the Lion, and various barons,
with many other churches and lands. During 20
years from the commencement of the 13th century,
the abbot was embroiled with the bishop of Glas-
gow, fighting a stiffly contested battle for the pre-
rogatives of the mitre and the crosier ; and he was
eventually compelled to acknowledge more of the
bishop's authority than comported with the loftiness
of bis own pretensions. During the early wars of
the succession, the abbot and his canons were in-
volved in ruin, — their house becoming so unsafe
that they could not inhabit it, and their possessions
so wasted that they could not enjoy them ; and,
at the end of the year 13U0, they threw themselves
on the bounty of Edward I., and were billeted by
him on some religious houses in England. Robert
I. tried to restore by his generosity what the hos-
tility of bis antagonist had destroyed, and granted
to the canons the hospital of St. Mary Magdalene
at Rutherford, and apparently also the priories of
Restenet in Forfarshire and Canobie in Dumfries-
shire. The canons, at all events, possessed these
priories during the best days of their prosperity,
sent off some of their number to occupy their cells,
and used that of Restenet as a place of custody
for their records and other valuable documents
against the depredations of the Border marauders.
During the long succession of international conflicts
which followed the peace of Northampton in ] 32S,
the abbey rocked under the violent rush of inva-
sion and repulse, and underwent many a desolating
change. In 1523, it was pillaged and partly burnt
by the Earl of Surrey; and, in 154.5, it was exten-
sively dilapidated and converted into ruin by the
Earl of Hertford. Even in very recent times, por-
tions of it have been demolished by worthies such
as those who destroyed the surpassingly fine cross
of Edinburgh, or the gateway on the ancient bridge
of Jedburgh, — wiseacres who sagaciously calculate
the worth and beauty of an old ornate building by
the number of shillings which they can procure
for its stones. But now a better taste prevails,
and, not contented with averting further dilapida-
tions, has busied itself in making such repairs as
promise to extend the duration of what remains of
the pile. After the Reformation, the abbey be-
came vested in the Crown by annexation. As the
Kers of Fernihurst had long been the bailies of Jed
Forest, they, after a while, became bailies of the
canons of Jedburgh. In March, 1587, Sir Andrew
Ker obtained from James VI. a grant of the bailiary
of the lands and baronies of the abbey ; and — the
transition being easy in those times from connexion
of any sort with ecclesiastical property to entire
possession of it — he afterwards obtained a charter
converting the whole into a lordship, by the title of
Lord Jedburgh.
The town, proportionately to its size, makes a
conspicuous figure in manufacture. Its staple pro-
duce is in woollens, akin to that of Hawick and Gala-
shiels, with a trifling addition in linens. The prin-
cipal fabrics are checked woollens for trowsers and
for shepherds' plaids, — woollen shawls with fringe,
coarse and large check pattern, — a fine tartan, —
coarse Scotch blankets, — coarse white plaiding for
drawers, — carpets, — druggets, and hosiery. There
are three large factories, all worked by water-power,
and belonging respectively to Messrs. Hillson, Mr.
Rutherford, and Mr. Ewing. The number of hand-
looms, in 182S, was 20; and, in 1838, had in-
creased to 75. The looms are kept in full trim at
the expense of the masters. The average nett weekly
wages earned by good workmen when fully employed
are, for linen, 8s. 7d., — for blankets, 10s. 6d., — for
plaiding and for trowser-checks, 12s., — for shepherds'
plaids, 13s., — and for shawls, 16s. Mr. Hope, the in-
ventor and patentee of a particular description of
printing-presses, employs about 20 persons in an
establishmentforproducinghis useful article. An iron
and brass foundery, some business in the dressing of
leather, and various artisanships which minister to the
e very-day wants of society, contribute, with the great-
er manufactures, to swell the aggregate number of
in-door workmen in the burgh to about 550. But
bread, which is sent hence in considerable quantities
to the north of England, and is in much request for
the excellence of its quality, may be viewed as an
additional manufacture ; anil the produce of the
orchard, wdiich is raised and sold in greater quanti-
ties here than in any district of Scotland except
Clydesdale, must be regarded as an important article
of commerce. The ecclesiastics of the abbey appear
to have been fully aware of the peculiar adaptation
of the soil and site of Jedburgh to the growth and
luxuriancy of fruit-trees, and to have introduced at
various periods such species as their deep practical
insight into the pleasures of the palate pointed out
as most grateful. A peculiarly fine species of apple,
and not a few kinds of luscious pears, are plentifully
grown in the very numerous private orchards and
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