We passed Fulton Castle, the now-ruined residence of the Turnbull family. I actually had no idea what it was, so sent the photo to a PhD student friend, who identified it for me immediately! The perks of being in academia.
Turns out, the castle plays a role in the story of Mary, Queen of Scots. {Although, seriously, what castle between Scotland and the Midlands of Eng doesn't ?}
Mary passed Fulton in 1566, en route from Jedburgh to visit the Earl of Bothwell {her lover and later third husband, who most likely murdered her violent and manipulative second husband}. The Earl had just been wounded in battle and was thought to be dying, so Mary rode a long distance through the Borders to visit him, even though she had given birth to the violent and manipulative second husband's baby just a few weeks before.
This contemporary variation became another placard put around the
city, condemning Mary and Bothwell's involvement in the murder.
Downtown Jedburgh.
"Mary, Queen of Scots's House."
Regal.
Heraldic decorations above the door.
"Mary, Queen of Scots's Gardens."
The house houses a Mary museum.
It was closed, but we only had fifteen minutes in town anyhow.
I regretted not getting to see this, however:
A wax "death mask of Mary, Queen of Scots" !
This must be taken with a grain of salt.
Now, look at the other surviving mask, from the collection
of Lennoxlove House, the seat of the Duke of Hamilton:
I am sorry, but they are not the same woman !
This one has a more solid provenance, having been
in the family of the Duke for over two centuries.
Personally, I find it more convincing.
Here's a portrait miniature of the imprisoned Mary in her last decade {she died age 44}, by Nicholas Hilliard and held in the V&A:
You be the judge.
There is also Jedburgh Abbey.
Which was also closed.
It has an eerie graveyard.
{That's an Elizabeth}.
It was founded in the twelfth century.
I'd like to go back and explore it one day.
Turns out, the castle plays a role in the story of Mary, Queen of Scots. {Although, seriously, what castle between Scotland and the Midlands of Eng doesn't ?}
Mary passed Fulton in 1566, en route from Jedburgh to visit the Earl of Bothwell {her lover and later third husband, who most likely murdered her violent and manipulative second husband}. The Earl had just been wounded in battle and was thought to be dying, so Mary rode a long distance through the Borders to visit him, even though she had given birth to the violent and manipulative second husband's baby just a few weeks before.
This placard from 1567, called The Mermaid and the Hare, was one of many posted around Edinburgh before Mary's deposition later that year. It denounces the queen for her rumoured affair with Bothwell. Mary is shown as a mermaid {the early modern symbol for a prostitute}, identified by the 'MR' for Maria Regina. The hare was the heraldic badge of Bothwell, identified by the 'IH' for James Hepburn, his name.
It did not help things that Mary married Bothwell three months after the second husband's murder. This drawing of the murder at Kirk o' Field, Edinburgh also became a propagandist piece. If you look at the top right, you see second husband Lord Darnley depicted as he was found dead after the mysterious gunpowder explosion of his house, laying in the yard partially clothed and either strangled or smothered, but not killed by the explosion. Top left shows his infant son {James VI & I} sitting up his crib/"cot" praying "Judge and avenge my cause, o Lord."
This contemporary variation became another placard put around the
city, condemning Mary and Bothwell's involvement in the murder.
It was fitting that we also made a stop in Jedburgh,
a former royal burgh just ten miles from The Border.
a former royal burgh just ten miles from The Border.
Downtown Jedburgh.
"Mary, Queen of Scots's House."
Regal.
Heraldic decorations above the door.
The name of the house is a bit of a gimmick.
Mary probably stayed here in 1566. She did not own it or live in it.
It is said that she rested here after her aforementioned thirty-miles-in-one-day journey to see the wounded Earl of Bothwell, after which she fell in a bog on the way home and became ill.Mary probably stayed here in 1566. She did not own it or live in it.
"Mary, Queen of Scots's Gardens."
The house houses a Mary museum.
It was closed, but we only had fifteen minutes in town anyhow.
I regretted not getting to see this, however:
A wax "death mask of Mary, Queen of Scots" !
This must be taken with a grain of salt.
There were supposedly four death masks made of Mary; only two are known today. This one turned up a bit dubiously in Peterborough, original burial place of Mary, where it was acquired by a Glaswegian businessman/collector.
Death masks were common for royalty, but this one looks suspicious.
A bit Madame Tussaud, non ? And why is she so pretty and serene ?
Girlfriend had just been beheaded, for goodness sake.
A bit Madame Tussaud, non ? And why is she so pretty and serene ?
Girlfriend had just been beheaded, for goodness sake.
Now, look at the other surviving mask, from the collection
of Lennoxlove House, the seat of the Duke of Hamilton:
I am sorry, but they are not the same woman !
This one has a more solid provenance, having been
in the family of the Duke for over two centuries.
Personally, I find it more convincing.
Here's a portrait miniature of the imprisoned Mary in her last decade {she died age 44}, by Nicholas Hilliard and held in the V&A:
You be the judge.
There is also Jedburgh Abbey.
Which was also closed.
It has an eerie graveyard.
{That's an Elizabeth}.
It was founded in the twelfth century.
I'd like to go back and explore it one day.
But it was back to the "Wee Red Bus" and Edinburgh, and then York.
We crossed The Border four times in forty-eight hours.
xx
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