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.
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