History in Structure

Wren's Nest, Abbey Close, Jedburgh

A Category B Listed Building in Jedburgh, Scottish Borders

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Coordinates

Latitude: 55.4764 / 55°28'35"N

Longitude: -2.5559 / 2°33'21"W

OS Eastings: 364961

OS Northings: 620429

OS Grid: NT649204

Mapcode National: GBR B5L3.GP

Mapcode Global: WH8YH.QM32

Plus Code: 9C7VFCGV+HM

Entry Name: Wren's Nest, Abbey Close, Jedburgh

Listing Name: Abbey Close, the Nest with Coach House, Boundary and Garden Walls and Railings

Listing Date: 16 March 1971

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 380040

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB35456

Building Class: Cultural

Also known as: Wrain's Rest

ID on this website: 200380040

Location: Jedburgh

County: Scottish Borders

Town: Jedburgh

Electoral Ward: Jedburgh and District

Traditional County: Roxburghshire

Tagged with: House

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Description

Earlier 18th century symmetrical 2-storey and attic 7-bay single pile house on raised basement incorporating earlier fabric, with later wing to rear making L-plan and coach house forming court. Sandstone rubble with ashlar margins, formerly rendered; court elevations recently re-harled. Single windows to all storeys of all bays unless stated. Principal block with upper floor windows with lintels in ashlar eaves course.

S (GARDEN) ELEVATION: 2-storey and attic on raised basement 7-bay, coursed rubble. 5 centre bays grouped together; basement rendered with band course above. Swept steps (10) across basement area at centre to 2-leaf glazed doors with rectangular fanlight in pilastered and corniced ashlar doorcase; flanking bays bridged at principal floor by large tripartite windows (probably contemporary with addition to rear). Skylight at centre flanked by pair of piend-roofed slate-hung dormers.

Garden walls adjoin facade at right angles to left and in same plane to right.

E (ABBEY CLOSE) ELEVATION: 2 and 3-storey 3-bay. Broad original 3-storey bay to left with windows displaced to right. Tall 2-storey range to N with 2 widely spaced bays; flush panelled door to left with 4-pane fanlight and single window above; bipartite wndows to right, that at ground converted to French windows; crowstepped gableheads to windows with rectangular ventilators and initials GF and MM inscribed (dating their addition, circa 1865).

N (COURT) ELEVATION: end rubble walls of flanking ranges with crowstepped gables and gablehead stacks; E return wall with windows to domestic range; W return wall with garage and entrance to loft above; irregular single storey pentis-roofed 3-bay range across court to S with garage to right, small window at centre and modern glazed door and screen to left; blank wall above.

Timber sash and case windows; various configurations to S (consistent by floor), 12-pane to E. Principal block with piended roof; rendered stacks, coped and ashlar faced to NE. Grey slates; crowsteps with skewputts.

INTERIOR: vaulted 17th century cellars; some 18th century panelling survives, and early 19th century plasterwork (cornice, ceiling rose) and marble fireplace.

WALLS, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: coped ashlar gatepiers with some rock- faced stones; low ashlar saddleback coped rubble wall to E front; decorative cast-iron railings and gates. High rubble garden wall to SE with 2 blocked windows the remains of demolished schoolrooms; similar walls to rest of garden.

Statement of Interest

The site (with earlier house) was granted in 1610 to Alexander, Earl of Home by James VI (it was known then as the Wrain's Nest), and later in the century seems to have been granted by the Earl of Lothian to the Laird of Edgerston, who was presumably responsible for the rebuilding in the form evident today. It was acquired in 1821 by the Jedburgh Academy and the schoolrooms were built in about 1843 (they burnt down in 1911). The initials GF and MM in the gableheads stand for George Fife and Marion Millar, the headmaster of the Academy and his wife; they were married in December 1862. The Academy finially closed at the beginning of the 20th century, and the house was recently converted into two dwellings.

External Links

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