Jedburgh Abbey

📌 Jedburgh, Scottish Borders
★★★★

🛠️ Abbey & grounds closed for masonry / maintenance work – visitor centre open with reduced admission fee (checked April 2024)

This gorgeous Augustinian abbey is probably the finest of its kind in the Scottish Borders – and indeed perhaps anywhere in Scotland. Founded as a a priory in 1138 by David I, the building gained abbey status in 1154 and has survived frequent border conflicts and the Reformation surprisingly intact – well, in comparison to many other Scottish abbeys anyway. Dozens of graceful arches balanced in rows on top of each other draw the eye when you approach Jedburgh from the south; they make a great welcome to Scotland advert if you drive across the border from England by the Carter Bar road pass. An excellent audio guide and interesting exhibition enhance the visitor experience; as well as the abbey itself, there are extensive foundations of outbuildings including kitchen, refectory, cellars and cloister, many surviving to about waist height. Back inside the church, don’t miss the view from the balcony at the west end, though you have to brave a particularly narrow spiral staircase to get there!