Capon Tree, Jedburgh
Capon Tree
Iconic / Famous Ancient Tree
The Capon Tree, a hollow English oak (Quercus robur), is one of the last survivors of the ancient Jed Forest. At around 1,000 years old, this celebrated tree has been a constant feature in the turbulent history of the border country. The origin of the tree’s name is uncertain, but it could have been derived from the word ‘capuche’, the hood worn by the monks who sheltered under its branches on their way to the nearby Jedburgh Abbey.
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keith Knight says:
Posted January 04, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Grid ref for the Capon Tree is NT6508518860
Access. Adjacent to the A68 south of Jedburgh but parking is difficult. Best to leave the car in Jedburgh in the large car park at the south side of the town. From here walk south on the pavement along the A68. About 1.5 km along (just after the white bridge) the tree is in the field to the left between the road and the river.
Chris Rush says:
Posted June 13, 2024 at 7:05 pm
If you park in Jedburgh you can also walk to the Capon Tree without having to follow the A68, this route is a lot more pleasant, taking you through countryside south of Jedburgh. It is the route 1 marked on the Jedburgh paths guide going south past Todlaw, then turn east towards the Heritage Trees (mind the traffic on the A68). You can reverse the route or follow Route 8 which comes back into Jedburgh. The guide can be downloaded from Scottish Borders Council “Paths around Jedburgh” and this is the PDF
https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/downloads/file/675/jedburgh
Heather says:
Posted June 06, 2025 at 5:45 pm
Thanks for the alternative route Chris, we walked it today. It is considerably better than the footpath along the road which we took on our way back to the car park. The cafe there is great too.
Christopher Veitch says:
Posted March 02, 2025 at 2:23 pm
The tree is in the field to the right (not left) Going left across the field opposite the Tree, go up the path where is another old tree “The King O’ The Wood” – this was the old road up to Fernihirst Castle before the main road was constructed around 1800.