Named after the Patron Saint of Scotland whose bones are said to have been brought here more than a thousand years ago, St Andrews is one of Scotland’s popular historic towns and popularised worldwide for being the home of golf. Home to an estimated 18,000 residents, this harbour town with its Victorian streets and solid buildings overlooks St Andrews Bay across the mouth of the River Tay towards the Mountains of Angus. Consisting of stone built houses, many of which were constructed of material taken from the ruined Cathedral, St Andrews is a picturesque town that stands on the eastern shores of the North Sea in the Region of Fyfe, Scotland.
St Andrews was once an important early religious centre assuming the leading role in the Church of Scotland in the 12th century with the building of the now ruined Cathedral Church of St. Andrews. In the 15th century St Andrews led the way again by establishing the country’s first University, which has always been an important academic centre and forms a large and integral part of town. Today, St Andrews is better known for its connections with golfing, which has been played here on the grassy links as early as the 1400’s. The very first golf club was formed as early as 1754 and was called the Society of St Andrews Golfers, which in 1834 became known as the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The Royal and Ancient, as it became known, or R & A, became the governing body for the rules of golf throughout the world in 1897. There are currently seven golf courses at St Andrews Links which include the ‘Castle Course’ and the ‘Old Course’, the oldest course in the world!! The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, which looks out over the ‘Old Course’ was opened in 1854. A ‘right of way’ across the first and eighteenth fairways is known as ‘Granny Clark’s Wynd’. Golfers worldwide flock to St Andrews to experience a game on one of these courses and many spend some time in the popular British Golf Museum, which offers a series of comprehensive displays re-telling the story of golfing.
The ruined Cathedral Church of St Andrew was, by far, the largest of all Scotland’s cathedrals. Established in 1160, it was not completed until 1318 and, at the time of the Reformation, was the centre of many violent religious disputes. Monuments in the town commemorate the Protestant martyrs who were burned here in the 16th century, for their convictions. Next to the Cathedral stands St Rule’s Church. Built in the 12th century, it is possible to obtain splendid views of the city from the top of the tower.
The picturesque ruined Castle of St Andrews, which stands on a rocky promontory, was originally the Bishop’s Palace and dates from the early 13th century, and was destroyed in 1547. Its most infamous feature was the bottle-necked dungeon, which was narrower at the top than in the middle or bottom, with no means of escape except from the roof. No prisoner ever escaped from it!!
The University of St Andrews is a busy college and dominates the town with an estimated 9,000 students. It was founded in 1410 and incorporates a 17th century library in which the Scottish Parliament met in 1645. It operates in many interesting historic buildings scattered throughout the town including the 16th century St Salvator’s Chapel, which is one of the original buildings and forms part of the St Salvator’s Quad which is still in use. St Mary’s Quad, part of St Mary’s College, is another historic quadrangle.
Other sites, in the city, worthy of mention –
West Port, one of the few surviving city gates in Scotland, stands at the entrance to South Street. Originally medieval, it was rebuilt in 1589 and restored in 1845.
Madras College, founded in 1832, not actually a part of the university but a school in its own right.
Blackfriars Chapel, a ruined Dominican monastery of the 13th century, stands in front of Madras College.
Other places of interest within 30 kilometres –
Standing approximately 12 kilometres south of St Andrews is one on Scotland’s best kept secrets - Scotland’s Secret Bunker. For military enthusiasts - the bunker was built in the 1950’s and lies hidden behind an innocent farmhouse building and is comprised of a 150 metre tunnel leading to two levels, 30 metres below ground, that are the size of football fields, all encased in 4 metres of concrete.
Earlshall Castle, 10 kilometres north-west of the city, was restored in the 19th century and is famous for its topiary garden.
The Fife Folk Museum at Ceres, 12 kilometres south-west of St Andrews, covers the domestic and agricultural history of the area.
The Scottish Fisheries Museum at Anstruther, 15 kilometres south-east of the town, displays history of the fishing and local communities.
Kellie Castle, 3 kilometres west of Anstruther, has a lovely Victorian garden and is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
Did you know that – the game of golf is said to have been brought to Scotland by traders from Holland, where people competed to hit a ball across frozen canals.
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