Wren's Nest, Abbey Close, Jedburgh

Wren's Nest is an earlier 18th century, symmetrical, two-storey and attic, seven-bay, single-pile house built on a raised basement, incorporating earlier fabric. A later wing extends to the rear, forming an L-plan, and a coach house creates a courtyard. The principal block is constructed from sandstone rubble with ashlar margins, formerly rendered; the courtyard elevations have been recently re-harled. Single windows are found on all storeys in most bays. The principal block features upper-floor windows with lintels set within the ashlar eaves course.

The south (garden) elevation is two-storeys and an attic on a raised basement, with seven bays. The central five bays are grouped together; the basement is rendered with a band course above. Swept steps lead up to a central two-leaf glazed door with a rectangular fanlight, set within a pilastered and corniced ashlar doorcase. Flanking bays are bridged at the principal floor level by large tripartite windows, likely contemporary with the addition to the rear. A skylight sits at the centre, flanked by a pair of piend-roofed, slate-hung dormers. Garden walls adjoin the facade at right angles to the left and in the same plane to the right.

The east (Abbey Close) elevation is two and three storeys, with three bays. A broad, original three-storey bay is on the left, with windows repositioned to the right. A tall two-storey range extends north, featuring two widely spaced bays. A flush-panelled door, with a four-pane fanlight above, is located on the left, alongside a window. Bipartite windows are to the right, with the ground-floor window converted into French windows. Crowstepped gableheads are present above the windows, featuring rectangular ventilators and the inscribed initials GF and MM, indicating their addition around 1865.

The north (courtyard) elevation features end rubble walls with crowstepped gables and gablehead stacks. The east return wall has windows to the domestic range; the west return wall includes a garage and access to a loft above. An irregular, single-storey, pentice-roofed, three-bay range spans the court to the south, with a garage on the right, a small window at the centre, and a modern glazed door and screen to the left; a blank wall is above.

Timber sash and case windows are throughout, with varying configurations on the south side (consistent by floor), and 12-pane windows on the east side. The principal block has a piended roof with rendered stacks, coped and ashlar-faced to the northeast. The roof is covered with grey slates and features crowsteps with skewputts.

Inside, vaulted 17th century cellars exist, and some 18th century panelling and early 19th century plasterwork (cornice, ceiling rose) and a marble fireplace survive.

Coped ashlar gatepiers, some with rock-faced stones; a low ashlar, saddleback coped rubble wall to the east front; decorative cast-iron railings and gates; a high rubble garden wall to the southeast with two blocked windows - the remains of demolished schoolrooms - are also part of the property. Similar walls enclose the rest of the garden.