The Hepburns at Hermitage Castle: Patrick Hepburn, the 3rd Earl of Bothwell When Adam Hepburn, 2nd Earl of Bothwell died in 1513 at the Battle of Flodden, he left behind his one year old heir, Patrick Hepburn. The crown assumed control of Hermitage, but had little time to devote to its governance. The country was in chaos, and the region slid into disorder. Whilst Hepburn was too young, the Scotts of Buccleuch carried on as keepers of the castle which had often been the case since the Douglas ow

Visited the Mary Queen of Scots Visitor Centre in Jedburgh, a quiet Borders town just over an hour from Edinburgh. The museum is set in a 16th-century tower house where Mary stayed for a few weeks in 1566, after falling seriously ill, possibly from a miscarriage or stress, during a harsh ride to see the wounded Earl of Bothwell at Hermitage Castle. Inside, you’ll find replica letters, paintings, and artefacts connected to her dramatic life, including a lock of hair said to be hers, a miniature c