Mary Queen of Scots House, Jedburgh, Scotland

"Would that I had died at Jedburgh"...

These famous words, uttered by Mary Stuart  before her death, were a comment on the emotional agonies of the last twenty years of her life. She was referring to the year 1566 when, at the age of 23, she spent six weeks at this house (see photo on left), which you can visit on High Street in Jedburgh, Scotland. 

Mary arrived here after an exhausting 50-mile trip on horseback through the Border hills.  She'd been visiting her wounded beloved, the earl of Bothwell, at Hermitage Castle.  But she soon fell ill and almost died of a mysterious fever. 

Jedburgh, divided by the River Jed, is one of those charming little Scottish border towns that I'd love to call home.  Originally developed around Jedburgh Abbey on a Roman road called Dere Street, today it is a serene market town which gives no hint of the turbulent history that once plagued the Borders area. 

I visited Jedburgh with my friend Finlay when I went to Scotland last month.  We stopped first at the Jedburgh Visitor Centre at Murray's Green, just next to where the buses pull in by the famous Jedburgh Abbey.  As soon as we got our bearings, we went straight to the fortified town house once inhabited by Mary Queen of Scots. 

Mary Stuart, as you may well know, is one of the most romantic -- and tragic -- figures in history.  She had a claim to the throne in three countries:  Scotland, France and England.  Widowed at the tender age of 17, she then suffered as her second husband was brutally murdered by the third.  Most of her adult life was spent as a prisoner, and she was finally executed for treason.

When you tour the house, be sure to get the audio guide.  You'll learn a lot about the house and its furnishings, as well as what fascinated me most -- the life of Mary Queen of Scots, beginning with her carefree early years in France to her captivity and finally, her execution at the age of 44. 

This building is called a Tower House, a fortified structure built to house the local gentry at a time of Border wars and violent family feuds.   The mural on the spiral staircase shows how Mary lived a life of luxury and culture as a child.  In fact, she was crowned at Stirling Castle as a 9-month old baby -- and had to be carried to and held upon the throne so she wouldn't roll off!

In the Banqueting Hall, you'll explore her return to Scotland as a teenager, and learn about her political troubles with the Protestant leader, John Knox. 

Make sure you take a peak at the "Lang Drap" as you walk by...  this 16th century toilet known as a garderobe (to the right of the door leading from the Banqueting Hall into the forechamber) was a great luxury at that time -- most people were still using chamber pots!  By the way, in case you are wondering, the name "garderobe" comes from the habit of hanging clothes in these rooms, as the pungent smell kept moths away. 

Give me a 21st century toilet any day!

In the Queen's Bedchamber, we learned that burning up from fever, the Queen was thought at one point to be dead, but she was saved by her French physician, Arnault. 

In the Last Letter Room you'll learn about Mary's final hours, see her death mask, and read her poignant final letter to her brother-in-law, the King of France.

In this house I learned much about Mary Queen of Scots and the troubled times she lived in, and left feeling deeply touched.  I highly recommend you visit, and tour the gardens as well;  the ancient pear trees are a reminder of times past when Jedburgh was famous for its fruit.

There's more to do in Jedburgh, of course.  After Mary Queen of Scots House, we visited Jedburgh Abbey, another place where you can experience the past, which I will write about in an other post.

• Want to know more about Mary Stuart?  I've heard Antonio Fraser's book, Mary Queen of Scots, is excellent. 
• For more information on Jedburgh visit Undiscovered Scotland.

Photos courtesy of VisitBritain.com.

Comments

[Melody]

Thanks so much, ScotlandBlogger, it's always nice to receive feedback on my posts.

[ScotlandBlogger]

Some beautiful pictures, and a nicely done summary of the history surrounding Mary Queen of Scots. Thank you for this post.