Cessford Castle & The Lord Compositor's House

**cessna152towser** · 31st July 07, 10:02 AM

While Phil was out photographing artefacts at Edinburgh museum for you today, I was also out and about with my camera. After my Court sitting finished at lunchtime I called in at two of the Borders' lesser known historic attractions on my way home this afternoon.

This interpretation board shows Cessford Castle as it would have appeared in its heyday.

The castle occupies a prominent site on a hill above the small village of Cessford, about five miles south of Kelso.

To the left of the main castle are the remaining walls of foreworks, comprising defensive walls and outbuildings.

The castle was a stronghold of the Ker family, prominent Border Reivers and ancestors of the present Duke of Roxburghe.

Interest in Cessford Castle was revived when it featured in Brian Moffatt's book "The Devil and King James" published in 2003, and during 2004 some conservation works were carried out to make the exterior walls safe to approach, and Roxburghe Estates have provided a stile into their field where the castle stands, so lets take a closer look.

The north-west corner of Cessford Castle.

The north wall of the castle.

Moving round to the north-east corner - even on a pleasant summer afternoon this is a haunting and lonely spot. After several transgressions, Ker of Cessford was handed over to the English in 1598 and following this and the ensuing Union of the Crowns in 1603 Cessford Castle lost influence as a Borders stronghold, with the Ker family moving to a new home in 1607.

**cessna152towser** · 31st July 07, 10:08 AM

Looking past the west wall of the castle towards the south, we see the Cheviot Hills and England beyond the foreworks.

The remains of the entrance courtyard.

Standing inside the entrance courtyard we can peer through the inner entrance into the centre of the castle.

**cessna152towser** · 31st July 07, 10:17 AM

In a quiet Jedburgh back street we encounter this fine late 15th or early 16th century Tower House, the Lord Compositor's House, overshadowed as a tourist attraction by Jedburgh Abbey (and dare I say it by the woollen mill shop on the outskirts of Jedburgh - I reckon that the coach tours companies probably receive commission for dumping all their passengers at the woollen mill shop rather than bringing them into the historic Jedburgh town centre)

The Lord Compositor's House was owned by Lady Ferniehurst in the late 16th century and passed through several ownerships. Isabella Lindsay, of whom Robert Burns wrote in praise was brought up here - she later married Adam Armstrong.

The house and its garden was bought by Jedburgh Town Council in 1929. Mary Queen of Scots stayed here when she visited Jedburgh in October 1566 and in recent years an opportunity has been taken by the local authority to develop a small museum of artefacts from Mary Queen of Scots era known as the Mary Queen of Scots Visitor Centre, so lets go inside and take a look.

**cessna152towser** · 31st July 07, 10:22 AM

A staircase leads up the inside of the turret from the dark barrel vaulted cellar.

The Laird's Great Hall contains a number of artefacts including tapestries.

The adjoining room includes portraits of characters from the era leading up to the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

On the next floor we can visit this room where Mary Queen of Scots is said to have slept.

Up the spiral staircase to the attic floor where....

And lastly for today, this wee room in the attic is where the four Maries, Queen Mary's servants were accommodated.

**Steeplechase** · 31st July 07, 10:24 AM

Another excellent collection of pics.

**CelticRanger66** · 31st July 07, 11:22 AM

Stunning !! Thanks for posting!!

**starbkjrus** · 31st July 07, 11:55 AM

That tower house is beautiful. I'm sure that if it were over here we'd have knocked it down by now to build a Walmart or something.

Thanks for the pics Alex.

:mrgreen: