Northumberland moors to Edinburgh – Britain

DAY 2 – Crossing the wild Northumberland moors into Scotland, a lone piper greeted us at the border.  Our route then takes us past Jedburgh Abbey, where we had a quick stop for a photoshoot,  and the house of the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots en route to the capital of Edinburgh. 

Jedburgh Abbey was founded by David I around 1138 for Augustinian canons. Underlying the tranquility of the Abbey’s Romanesque and early Gothic buldings is a turbulent history, due to its location.  When Anglo-Scottish relations deteriorated after 1296, Jedburgh became a frontline target for English armies. The Reformation marked the abbey’s final decline. However, despite this, it functioned as the local church up to 1875, after which it became disused.  Fragments of 9th century Celtic stonework reveals an earlier structure. 

On our journey into Edinburgh, we had an account of the fateful night of February 9, 1567, when a trail of gunpowder was lit in the cellar of a house in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The explosion decimated the house and Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, was killed. Ever since then, there have been much debate as to whether Mary was involved in this murder.  It was only recently that some incriminating new evidence have come to light, including love letters written by Mary to her secret lover, James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell.  I’ll leave it to you to do your own CSI into the mystery and treacherous politics of the Scottish Court….

Helen