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Jedburgh Callants Festival 2012
Jedburgh Callants Festival was inaugurated in 1947 and lasts two weeks with ceremonial rides to places of historic interest.
The most important ride is to Redeswire, close by Carter Bar, the site of a battle in 1575 when the timely arrival of the Jedburgh contingent with their cry "Jethart‘s here" turned an apparent defeat of the men from Liddesdale into a rout of the English.
The Callant, the young man leading the festival proceedings leads the mounted cavalcade to Ferniehurst Castle, halts for a ceremony at the Capon Tree, survivor of the ancient Jed Forest, and returns to the town for the final ceremony at the War Memorial.
Saturday commences with the firing of a cannon and a race around the town, followed by the Jedburgh Border Games, which date from 1853.
The Rideouts
Sunday 24th June : MOREBATTLE (Date correct all times tbc)
- Leave Back Bongate
- Bongate, Hartrigge Drive, Darnic, Oxnam Road, Crailing Hall, Samiston, Old Otterburn
- arrive Morebattle - Jethart Callant meets Kelso Laddie
The meeting of the principals of the Kelso and Jedburgh celebrations serves to remind us that these two towns were allies in the fight against the alien 'Border Reivers'.
The ceremony itself is perhaps one of the most origianl and moving meetings of all Border Festivals. The respective cavalcades arrive near the Trysting Tree and the formal meeting takes place. After the meeting, both Parties make their way to the platform where a formal speech of welcome is made on behalf of the residents of Morebattle, with a representative from Jedburgh or Kelso replying.
After the Callant and the Laddie have addressed the company, everyone joins in the singing of Jethart's Here and Kelsae Bonnie Kelsae.
After the singing, the Callant and the Laddie jointly lay a wreath at the War Memorial. The Last Post is played, followed by a minutes silence, then Reveille and God Save the Queen.
The dancing parties of an eightsome reel conclude the ceremony, following which the two parties are then given refreshments by the Morebattle Community Council before remounting and heading back to their respective towns.
- 16.00 - Callant and Kelso Laddie leave Morebattle
- Whitton, Faw Laws, Whitton Loch, cross road north of cattle grid, Townfoot Hill, Bloodylaws hill, Oxnam Row hill, Oxnam Row
- 16.50 app - arrive Oxnam village (refreshment stop)
- 17.10 app - Leave Oxnam
- Oxnam Neuk, Sheepfold, cross Oxnam to Scraesburgh road 400 yds east of Scraesburgh farm Camp Wood, Sandy Road, Oxnam Road, Darnic, Hartrigge Drive, Canongate Ford, Canongate
- 18.30 - arrive Market Square
Saturday 30th June : SOUTHDEAN (Date correct all times tbc)
- 1.00pm - Leave Back Bongate
- High Street, Castlegate
- Jedburgh Castle Jail where the principals receive a stirrup cup Green Road
- Merlin Dean, Swinnie Farm, Gillies Shanks, Ashtrees, Belling Hill, Falside
- 3.15pm approx. - arrive Southdean Farm
- 4.15pm - leave Southdean
- Roughlee, Mervins Law
- 5.30pm approx - arrive Camptown (refreshments for the cavalcade are provided here by the Royal British Legion, Jedburgh Branch)
- 5.45pm - leave Camptown Bridle Strip, Mosburnford, Jocks Wood, Hunthill, Howden, Oxnam Road, Band Abbey Bridge
- 7.00pm - arrive Market Square
Thursday June : CRAILING (tbc)
- 6.00pm - leave Back Bongate
- High Street, Canongate, Canongate Ford, Hartrigge Drive, Ryerig, Mount Ulston, Borders Abbey’s way, St Cuthbert’s Way, Baittens, Crailing (depending upon conditions the river Teviot may be forded east of the bridge)
- 7.15pm approx. - arrive Nisbet
- 7.45pm - leave Nisbet. Beach Strip, Peinielheugh, Woodside, Harestanes, Auld Ancrum Bridge, Cleekimin, Monklaw, Sharplaw, Chapel Brae, Band Tavern
- 9.30pm - arrive Market Square
Saturday 7nd July : REDESWIRE ( Date correct all times tbc)
- 10.00am - leave Back Bongate
- High Street, Oxnam Road, Howden, Mossburnford, Bridle Strip, Dolphinston Sheepfold, Falla Crossroads, Dod Hill, Edgerston Mill, Knock Hills, Wooplaw, the cavalcade musters at Wooplaw Rig the Callant leads the cavalcade up to the Redeswire Stane
- 12.30pm approx - arrive Redeswire. Address by Karen Gillan MP
- (riders who are completing the Redeswire ride for the first time register for badges here. Also entries for the mounted sports at Dolphinston will be taken here)
- 1.05pm - leave Redeswire
- Lamblairknowe, Hophills Nob, Brundenlaws, Stony Law, Stripend, Lawsuit Law, Falla
- 3.00pm approx. - arrive Dolphinston (mounted sports)
- 4.10pm approx - leave Dolphinston, Birkinside Wood, Peel Clumps, Mosburnford, Hunthill, Howden, Oxnam Road
- 5.40pm - arrive Lothian Park (where the badges for the first time riders and the prizes for the mounted sports will be presented)
- Band leads cavalcade from Abbey Bridge
- 6.00pm - arrive Market Square
Monday July : QUEENS RIDE On the outward journey to Fulton Castle, the Cavalcade follows the same route as Mary Queen of Scots, when she visited the wounded Bothwell at Hermitage Castle on 16th October 1566. The Queen returned to Jedburgh the same day - a distance going and coming of about 50 miles.
- 6.30pm - leave Back Bongate
- Queen Mary’s House - The Callant receives a stirrup cup from the Provost and Baillies
- High Street, Castlegate, Green Road, Dunion
- 7.35pm approx. - arrive Fulton Peel Tower - the Cavalcade is met by the Richardson family who provide some welcome refreshments
- 8.00pm - leave Fulton Peel Tower
A silence fell on Hermitage
A silence dull and grey
While Queen and courtiers, maifd and knight
Traversed their moorland way
- Swinnie Toll, Hundalee, Green Road, Band at the Castle, Castlegate
- 9.20pm - arrive Market Square
Tuesday July : LANTON
- 5.45pm - leave Back Bongate
- High Street, Castlegate, Larkhall, Lanton Hill, Lanton Crag, Lantonhill Farm
- 6.45pm approx - arrive Lanton (there will be a mounted Gymkhana in field next to Lanton Tower)
- 9.00pm app - leave Lanton
- Lanton Moor, Sharplaw, Chapel Brae, band Tavern
- 10.00pm - arrive Market Square
Wednesday July : ANCRUM
- 6.00pm - leave Back Bongate
- Bongate, Sawpit, Canongate Ford, Tudhope, Lanton Moor, Timpendean Tower, Cleekiminn, Ancrum Bridge, Copeland, Copeland Ford
- 7.15pm - arrive Ancrum
- 8.45pm - leave Ancrum
- Copeland Ford, Copeland, Auld Ancrum Bridge, Cleekiminn, Monklaw, Bonjedward Lodge Old Railway, Pipe band leads the cavalcade from Old Bongate Mill, Bongate (town band joins the cavalcade at the Tavern), High Street
- 10.00pm - arrive Market Square
Thursday July : INVESTITURE
- 7.15pm - the Callant’s party will assemble the Town Hall proceed to Abbey Place where the Callant is given custody of the Jethart Flag, and the Principals handed the two Jethart Axes, by the Provost.
- The ceremony is follwed by the "Callant's Walk" - all are invited to the Callant with the Flag on a short walk through the town. On return from the Walk the Callant’s reel will be danced on the platform weather permitting.
Friday 13th July : FESTIVAL DAY (Date correct times tbc)
- 08.30am - Cavalcade assembles at Back Bongate.
- 08.45am - Cavalcade preceded by the Band, arrives at the platform in Abbey Place. The Lady Provost pins a rosette to The Jethart Flag borne by the Callant.
- 09.00am - Oxnam Road, Lothian Road, Howden, Hunthill Farm, McCall’s Strip
- 10.10am - Recitation of Walter Laidlaw’s "REPRISAL" by Ex-Callant Jim Miller. Address by representative of Kerr Family. One verse of "JETHART’S HERE". Refreshments. One verse of "BRAVE LADS 0’ JETHART"
- 10.35am - Cavalcade proceeds to DOUGLAS CAMP Linthaughlea.
- 11.00am - Leave Linthaughlea, proceed to the Capon Tree.
- 11.10am - The President of the Callant’s Club pins sprig from the Tree to Callant’s lapel. The Cavalcade continues by King O' the Wood, Inchbonny, Lothian Park
- 11.30am - The Toll. Band leads Cavalcade to Market Place, the Cavalcade salutes the War Memorial as they pass it, and proceeds down Canongate.
- 11.40am - The Jed is forded at Auld Brig, Cavalcade then continues via Priors Road, by Bongate to Townfoot Brig.
- 12.00noon - Bands lead Cavalcade by way of High Street to Mercat Cross, Canongate, on to A68 to Kenmore Toll and the War Memorial.
- 12.30pm - The Callant and his Right and Left Hand Men dismount. "The Flowers of the Forest" is played by an unseen Piper. As the sound of this deeply-moving lament fades away, the Callant, attended by his Right and Left Hand Men, lays a wreath on the Memorial. One verse of "O God Our Help in Ages Past" is sung, followed by the sounding of "The Last Post" as the Callant dips the Flag. One Minute’s Silence is ended by sounding of "Reveille" The Callant resumes his place at the head of the Cavalcade which moves on to the Platform, there to witness the CEREMONIAL RETURN OF THE JETHART FLAG, PRESENTATION OF CALLANT’S CUP AND "THE QUEEN". The Cavalcade will then ride past the platform where they will be acknowledged by the Callant
Horse riding is a dangerous sport. Anyone who follows the Callant during the Jedburgh Callants Festival puts themselves at risk. The Jedburgh Callants Festival committee cannot be held responsible for any accidents that may occur during the festival or any injury sustained. The rides to Morebattle, Southdean and Redeswire are all in excess of twenty miles and cover some rough country. They require a high level of fitness from both horse and rider and are not suitable for novices. All riders are requested to wear an approved hard hat with the chin strap fastened at all times while mounted. Any horse or rider who, in the opinion of the marshals or organizing committee, is not capable of completing any of the rides for any reason will be asked to leave the ride. The Herald is the official timekeeper and the route he takes is the only one to be followed. Any person leaving the ride is responsible for ensuring any gates passed through are left the way they were found.