History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 86

red sandstone ruins of the Augustinian Abbey of Saint Mary, standing on the high left
bank of the Jed River. Lands, churches, houses, and valuable fisheries, on both sides
of the border, were bestowed on the abbey by David I, Malcolm IV, William the Lion,
and other royal and noble benefactors. Alexander III chose to be married in the abbey
church to Yolande de Dreux in 1285. The town also has been called Jedward,
Jedworth, Jethart and Jeddart. Scotland's style of hanging them first and trying them
afterwards is known as "Jeddart Justice," a term which originated when Sir George
Home/Hume summarily strung up a gang of reivers during the reign of James VI.
For several centuries there was always some sort of fighting in the Cheviot Hills. As a
result, fortified farmsteads known as pele castles sprang up throughout the area. Near
to Rutherford estates in Roxburghshire are the famous castles/peles of Roxburgh,
Smailholm Tower, Ferniehirst and Cessford. There were significant Rutherford towers
at Hundalee, Hunthill, Edgerston and Rutherford itself.
Foreign politics also cr eated friction on the Scottish border. England and France were
constantly at war and Scotland was France's ally. In this way, Scotland was forever
caught in the middle. For centuries the English and Scots took turns invading each
other. To complicate things even more, the French were Catholic and the English
were Protestant with the Scots historically torn between the two. Many Rutherfords
were among the Scottish soldiers who went to France to fight the English. As a result,
the lands of Rutherford and the surrounding areas became a lightening rod for English
cruelty.
By 1297, English troops led by Sir Richard Hastings had so plundered and wrecked
the abbey at Jedburgh that, in 1300, it was declared uninhabitable and the canons fled
to Thornton-on-Humber. They hadn't even started rebuilding the abbey when it was
ravaged again in 1410, in 1416 and in 1464. Reconstruction began in 1478 and the
tower was partly rebuilt by 1508. But then, English troops led by the Earl of Surrey
torched the place in 1523, another English force led by Lord Evers burned it down
again in 1544 and the Earl of Hertford led more English troops to destroy the abbey for
a third time not too long afterwards.
In a later period, the English warden Sir Ralph Eure, invaded Scotland southwest of
Rutherford eventually losing a great battle at Ancrum Moor. The battle of Ancrum
Moor was fought between the parishes of Maxton and Ancrum in 1543 at Lilliard's
Edge. This place is named for a young woman of the name of Lilliard who fought with
great bravery along with the Scots, and who lies buried in the field of battle. In this
effort, the English commander, Sir Eure thought he had gained the cooperation of the
Rutherford clan. The Rutherfords had agreed to fight with the English on the English
side of the border in order to redress complaints against the Kerrs. In fact on
September 30, 1543 the Earl of Suffolk thought it unwise to mount a winter campaign
north of the border with 10,000 English troops because of the threat of the Rutherfords
at Hunthill, Hundalee and Edgerston. Sir Eure proceeded anyway making the fatal
mistake of burning out dozens of border towns and then attempting to enter
Rutherford country near Jedburgh. Jedburgh itself was burned to the ground and
Adam, George, and Gawen Rutherford were taken prisoner.

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