A BRIEF HISTORY

 The Cross Keys Ancrum gets its name from the insignia of the Bishop of Glasgow, as do eight other Borders pubs. The Bishop was a local lad who founded Glasgow University in 1451 and built his palace in Ancrum. In recent memory certain householders (or ‘feuars’) paid an annual feu-duty to the Bishop’s successors to retain the right to graze goats on the green and other common lands of Ancrum.
 Until the first war the pub belonged to the Jedburgh Brewery (now closed) and under their ownership the pub was ‘modernised’ in 1906 – see the engraving in the brick above the door. Since then the pub’s proprietors have been keen to retain that 100 year – year – old décor, and the centre dining room still retains the aerial railway lines which carried the beer round the cellar.
 In recognition of this, in 1987 the Cross Keys Ancrum was the first pub in Scotland to receive an official Internal Preservation Order from the Borders council.
 So the Ancrum pub has an ancient tradition to maintain. And that’s why we are well-known for our excellent Real Ales and home cooked meals.