During the course...
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...of it’s long, and frequently violent, history, Jedburgh has had at least four different Town Seals.
The first of these represented the coronation of the Blessed Virgin (in whose honour Jedburgh Abbey is dedicated), and showed her on Jesus’ right hand side. The second showed a Madonna holding the Holy Child, again symbolising the town’s religious associations.
The third design, adopted in 1650, bore the figure of a unicorn. This being a part of the King’s Arms, the town was officially advised thirty years later that it could not be allowed to continue it’s use. Accordingly, the Town Council applied to the Lord Lyon from whom they received the design which is described in heraldic language as:
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- Gules, on a horse salient Argent, furnished Azure, a chevalier armed at all points, grasping in his right hand a kind of lance (called the Jedburgh Staff) Proper.
- The motto in an Escrol is Strenue et Prospere (Coronet added in Extract of Matriculation dated 15 March 1956).
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In more everyday language...
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...this means that, upon a red shield is a silver horse shown in the act of springing forward. The horse’s harness is coloured blue and upon it’s back is a fully armed rider carrying an unusual lance.
The rider and lance are portrayed in their natural colours. The coronet above the shield is represented as being made of masonry, as befits a Royal Burgh, and the motto which means ‘earnestly and successfully’, is shown as being on a strip of parchment.
The Jedburgh coat of arms is said to be the only one containing the figure of a horse - which may be considered surprising in view of the extent to which horses were bred and used throughout the Borders in the past.
Since reorganisation of Local Government, all Burgh Arms reverted to the Crown, but following an application by the Community Council to the office of the Lord Lyon, the town has been granted the right to continue in the use of their historic coat of arms.
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The town name...
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...There are probably more alternative spellings of the Jedburgh town name than any other town in Scotland, as shown by the list below, with over 83 versions recorded throughout the centuries.
The most unusual version of the town name is probably Iudanbyrig - a name appearing in the 10th century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The number and variety of spellings may reflect the antiquity of the town, for Jedburgh appears in documents as early as 854 A.D. and claims to be the first established parish in Scotland.
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Chedewurthe
Geddart
Geddewod
Geddeworde
Geddeworth
Geddeworthe
Geddewrd
Geddewrde
Geddewrth
Geddewurd
Geddewurth
Geddewurthe
Geddkirch
Gedeuuht
Gedeworth
Gedewrd
Gedewrde
Gedewrge
Gedewrth
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Gedewrze
Gedewurth
Gedewurthe
Gedwearde
Gedwearde
Gedwirth
Gedword
Gedworth
Gedworthe
Gedwoth
Goddewrthe
Iedeuurth
Iedewrth
Jedbruch
Jedbrugh
Jedburch
Jedburcht
Jedburghe
Jedburt
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Jeddeburch
Jeddeburgh
Jeddeswrth
Jeddeuurd
Jeddewod
Jeddeword
Jeddewort
Jeddeworth
Jeddeworthe
Jeddewrd
Jeddewrde
Jeddewrdh
Jeddewrte
Jeddewrth
Jeddewurd
Jeddewurth
Jeddewurthe
Jedduit
Jeddwrde
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Jeddwrth
Jedeword
Jedeworth
Jedewrd
Jedewrde
Jedewrdh
Jedewrth
Jedewurth
Jedward
Jedwart
Jedwert
Jedwod
Jedworde
Jedworth
Jedworthe
Jedwrte
Jedwrth
Jethart
Jodewrth
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In the year 854...
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...Ecred, bishop of Lindisfarne, Established two separate settlements on Jed Water, calling them both Gedwearde. The existence of two settlements of the same name is confirmed in a charter of David 1, dated about 1150, in a list of settlements in the parish.
The town which was later to become the burgh is distinguished from it’s neighbour by the phrase UBI CASTELLUM EST - Literally where the castle is. The settlement without the castle disappeared through time but is understood to have been situated 4½ miles to the south, where before there was both church and graveyard.
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The derivation of the name...
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...is open to conjecture, one authority suggesting a link with the Gadeni, a British tribe which in early times occupied the area lying between the Teviot and present-day Northumberland. The same authority suggests that the river Jed was originally called the Gad.
Samuel Johnston, in 'place names of Scotland’, suggests that Jed comes from the Welsh gwd - a turn or twist; and that the second syllable word or worth means an open space. In terms of pronunciation visitors to the town may be unaware that locals still refer to the town as Jeddart, which is much nearer the earlier version than the more formal name shown on maps and road signs.
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