History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 87

Jedburgh Abbey - The Rutherford Family Church
On 13th July 1464 the abbot of Jedburgh granted a right of burial in the abbey to
Robert Rutherfurd of Chatto and Hunthill and his wife Margaret Glendonwyn. The
whole of the choir was afterwards divided among the Rutherfurds as their restingplace, and allotments assigned for those of Edgerston, Hunthill, Hundalee, Fernington,
Bankend, the Hall, the Townhead, to the Lorimer and to the Bailie and his son. The
reason given for the ancestors of Robert Rutherfurd of Fairnilee not being buried in the
choir, but in the Bell House Brae (north-west part of the churchyard), is that when the
English made one of their raids upon Jedburgh they carried off the largest bell
belonging to the abbey, which hung in the tower on the slope above referred to, and
that Richard Rutherfurd, having pursued them with a handful of men, made a
desperate effort to recover it, but was overpowered and mortally wounded, and
requested to be buried in the Bell House. Robert Rutherfurd of Fairnilee, who was a
writer in Edinburgh, and Deputy Receiver General of Supply of Scotland, was the last
of his family who was buried in the Bell House, where his son erected a monument for
him, with the coat of arms of the family. Tradition says that the bell was carried off to
Hexham. The Bell House has long since been removed, but the oldest family of the
Jedburgh Rutherfords still bury on the site.
The last man of note who was buried in the choir was John Rutherfurd of Edgerston,
who did much for the good of his native county, and in respect for his memory a
beautiful Gothic monument was erected by public subscription. The inscription upon it
gives the true character of this highly-esteemed county gentleman, and is as follows:
"To the memory of John Rutherfurd, Esq. of Edgerston, Vice-Lieutenant-Colonel of the
Local Militia, and for two successive parliaments knight of the shire for the county of
Roxburgh. A gentleman distinguished alike by eminent talents' and unshaken integrity,
who during a long and useful life devoted his exertions to the maintenance of order in
the country at large, and to the promotion of every local improvement in his native
district. Zealous in the performance of his public duties, just and correct in every
private relation; a loyal subject, a considerate landlord, he left an example of public
spirit and private worth, and of the true dignity of an independent Scottish gentleman.
Died 6th May 1834, aged 86." John Rutherfurd was married to Mary Ann Leslie,
daughter of General the Honorable Alexander Leslie, son of the Earl of Leven.
General Leslie and his wife, the Honorable Rebecca Leslie, are also interred here, on
the south side of the choir.

The Rough Wooing
From the times of Lord Thomas Rutherfurd of Edgerston, third son and eventual heir
of Lord James Rutherfurd II who lived from about 1460 to 1517, the Rutherfords had
been allies and members of the Clan Home. Lord Thomas Rutherfurd served as the
bailie for Sir Patrick Home/Hume. Lord Thomas' son and heir was Lord Robert
Rutherford of Edgerston who lived from about 1490 to sometime before October of
1544. Lord Robert was the leader of the dominant Rutherford line at the time of the
Hertford invasion. He's honored among the Rutherfords for defending Edgerston from
Walter Kerr of Cessford. For his efforts, he was declared an outlaw.
In 1544 the English were pressing their campaign into Scotland when the Rutherfords
joined forces with their former rivals, the Kerrs, and defeated the English at Ancrum
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