St Andrews Castle is a
ruin
Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...
located in the coastal
Royal Burgh of St Andrews in
Fife,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
. The castle sits on a rocky
promontory overlooking a small beach called Castle Sands and the adjoining
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...
. There has been a castle standing at the site since the times of
Bishop Roger (1189–1202), son of the
Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837.
Early creatio ...
. It housed the
burgh’s wealthy and powerful
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
s while St Andrews served as the
ecclesiastical centre of Scotland during the years before the
Protestant Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and ...
. In their
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
charters, the
Archbishops of St Andrews
The Bishop of St. Andrews ( gd, Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn, sco, Beeshop o Saunt Andras) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews ( gd, Àrd-easbaig ...
wrote of the castle as their palace, signing, "apud Palatium nostrum."
The castle's grounds are now maintained by
Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) ( gd, Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the mer ...
as a
scheduled monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...
. The site is entered through a visitor centre with displays on its history. Some of the best surviving carved fragments from the castle are displayed in the centre, which also has a shop.
Wars of Scottish Independence
During the
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
, the castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times as it changed hands between the Scots and the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
. Soon after the
sack of Berwick in 1296 by
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vas ...
, the castle was taken and made ready for the
English king
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiw ...
in 1303. In 1314, however, after the Scottish victory at
Bannockburn
Bannockburn ( Scottish Gaelic ''Allt a' Bhonnaich'') is an area immediately south of the centre of Stirling in Scotland. It is part of the City of Stirling. It is named after the Bannock Burn, a stream running through the town before flowing i ...
, the castle was retaken and repaired by
Bishop William Lamberton,
Guardian of Scotland
The Guardians of Scotland were regents who governed the Kingdom of Scotland from 1286 until 1292 and from 1296 until 1306. During the many years of minority in Scotland's subsequent history, there were many guardians of Scotland and the post was ...
, a loyal supporter of
King Robert the Bruce. The English had recaptured it again by the 1330s and reinforced its defences in 1336, but were not successful in holding the castle. Sir
Andrew Moray
Andrew Moray ( xno, Andreu de Moray; la, Andreas de Moravia), also known as Andrew de Moray, Andrew of Moray, or Andrew Murray, was an esquire, who became one of Scotland's war-leaders during the First Scottish War of Independence. Moray, he ...
,
Regent of Scotland
A regent is a person selected to act as head of state (ruling or not) because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there is only one ruling Regency in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein. The following is a list of rege ...
in the absence of
David II, recaptured it after a siege lasting three weeks. Shortly after this, in 1336–1337, it was destroyed by the Scots to prevent the English from once again using it as a stronghold.
It remained in this ruined state until Bishop
Walter Trail
Walter Trail (died 1401; also spelled Trayl) was a late 14th century Bishop of St. Andrews. He appears as an official in the Bishopric of Glasgow in 1378, as a Magister Artium and a Licentiate in Canon and civil law. In 1380, he has a doctorate ...
rebuilt it at the turn of the century. His castle forms the basis of what can be seen today. He completed work on the castle in about 1400 and died within its walls in 1401.
Home to kings
Several notable figures spent time in the castle over the next several years.
James I of Scotland
James I (late July 139421 February 1437) was King of Scots from 1406 until his assassination in 1437. The youngest of three sons, he was born in Dunfermline Abbey to King Robert III and Annabella Drummond. His older brother David, Duke of ...
(1406–1437) received part of his education from Bishop
Henry Wardlaw
Henry Wardlaw (died 6 April 1440) was a Scottish church leader, Bishop of St Andrews and founder of the University of St Andrews.
Ancestors
He was descended from an ancient Saxon family which came to Scotland with Edgar Atheling, and was ho ...
, the founder of
St Andrews University
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
in 1410. A later resident, Bishop
James Kennedy, was a trusted advisor of
James II of Scotland (1437–1460).
Used as a prison
During these years, the castle also served as a notorious
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, corre ...
. The castle's
bottle dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period. An oubliette (from ...
is a dank and airless pit cut out of solid rock below the north-west tower. It housed local miscreants who fell under the Bishop's jurisdiction as well as several more prominent individuals such as
David Stuart, Duke of Rothesay in 1402,
Murdoch Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany
Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany ( gd, Muireadhach Stiubhart) (136224 May 1425) was a leading Scottish nobleman, the son of Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, and the grandson of King Robert II of Scotland, who founded the Stewart dynasty. In 1389, he ...
in 1425, while
Archbishop Patrick Graham, who was judged to be insane and might have been imprisoned at this place for a while, actually died in captivity in
Loch Leven Castle
Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–13 ...
in 1478.
Reformation and siege
During the
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Scotland broke with the Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterian in its outlook. It was part of the wider European Protestant Refor ...
, the castle became a centre of religious persecution and controversy. Referring to the bottle dungeon the Scottish reformer,
John Knox, wrote, "Many of God's Children were imprisoned here." In 1521
James Beaton
James Beaton (or Bethune) (1473–1539) was a Roman Catholic Scottish church leader, the uncle of David Cardinal Beaton and the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland.
Life
James Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of John Beaton of Balfour ...
, then
Archbishop of Glasgow
The Archbishop of Glasgow is an archiepiscopal title that takes its name after the city of Glasgow in Scotland. The position and title were abolished by the Church of Scotland in 1689; and, in the Scottish Episcopal Church, it is now part of ...
, won the seat of St Andrews and took up residence in the castle. Beaton altered the defences to enable the castle to withstand a heavy
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
attack, which was a threat as tensions grew between English
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
s and Scottish
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
s. A new artillery blockhouse was constructed. In 1538 James Beaton was succeeded by his ambitious and wealthy nephew, Cardinal
David Beaton
David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish cardinal prior to the Reformation.
Career
Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of eleven children of John Beaton (Bethune) of Bal ...
.
Much is known about life at the castle from the account book of David Beaton. Beer was brewed by the Widow Fallousdale. In 1541 a whale beached at Byrehills (now
Boarhills
Boarhills is a hamlet close to Kingsbarns in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. It is located off the A917 road, from St Andrews and from Crail, close to the mouth of Kenly Water with the North Sea.
History
Boarhills Church, built in 1866†...
) was brought to the castle and salted. The Cardinal employed William Blair as a drummer. Onion and lettuce were grown in the castle garden. Two priests, Henry Balfour and James Bykartoun, were masters of work, supervising improvements to the castle and gardens. Christopher Grymmerschere, a French military engineer, provided guns, and Master Wolf made new cannon, and John Fynnyk was the castle gunner. Coal for the castle was shipped from
West Wemyss. Three women from Edinburgh and Dunfermline accused of witchcraft were held at the castle and executed by burning on 10 October 1542.
Cardinal Beaton's strong opposition to the marriage of
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...
, with Prince Edward (later King
Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
), the son and heir of
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, helped to spark renewed
fighting in 1544. Scottish Protestants were increasingly viewed as dangerous turncoats who sided with the English. In 1546 David Beaton imprisoned the Protestant preacher
George Wishart
George Wishart (also Wisehart; c. 15131 March 1546) was a Scottish Protestant Reformer and one of the early Protestant martyrs burned at the stake as a heretic.
George Wishart was the son of James and brother of Sir John of Pitarrow, ...
(1513-1546) in the castle's Sea Tower and had him burnt at the stake in front of the castle walls on 1 March. Today, brick lettering with his initials marks the spot where he died. In May the same year, Wishart's friends conspired against the
cardinal. On 26 May they gained entry to the castle by disguising themselves as
masons when some building work was in progress. After overcoming the
garrison, they murdered Cardinal Beaton and hung his body from his window on the front of the castle.
Following this murder, the Protestants took refuge in the castle and formed the first Protestant
congregation
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
* Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...
in Scotland. A long
siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...
was ordered by the Scottish Regent,
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambigua ...
. In October 1546 a
mine
Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to:
Extraction or digging
* Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging
*Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine
Grammar
*Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun
...
was begun by the attackers which was successfully counter-mined by the defenders. Both the mine and counter-mine cut through solid rock. They were rediscovered in 1879 and remain open to the public today. Arran heard that an English army was on its way to relieve the Castle and asked Fife Lairds like John Wemyss of that Ilk to come by 4 November 1546, bringing his followers and whatever artillery they had to resist a sea invasion. Although Henry VIII made plans to assist the Protestants within the castle, the invasion never came and his son
Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
did not send aid.
During an
armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...
in April 1547,
John Knox entered the castle and served as the garrison's preacher for the remainder of the siege. For a time Knox had the freedom to pass to and from the castle to preach in the
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
church. This peaceful interlude came to end, however, when a French fleet arrived bringing an Italian engineer
Leone Strozzi
Leone Strozzi (15 October 1515 – 28 June 1554) was an Italian condottiero belonging to the famous Strozzi family of Florence.
Biography
He was the son of Filippo Strozzi the Younger and Clarice de' Medici, and brother to Piero, Roberto and Lor ...
who directed a devastating artillery bombardment to dislodge the Protestant
laird
Laird () is the owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman. This rank was held only by those lairds holding official recognition in ...
s. The lairds knew an expert was in the field when their own Italian engineer observed cannon being winched into position with ropes rather than exposing the besiegers to their fire. Guns were also placed on St Salvator's and the cathedral towers. One of the largest Scottish cannon was called "thrawynmouthe." The castle was quickly rendered indefensible, within six hours according to
Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie.
[Lindsay of Pitscottie, ''Chronicles of Scotland'', vol. 2, Edinburgh, (1814), 490.] The defeated Protestants were taken away with some imprisoned in France while others, including Knox, were condemned to the
galleys.
Decline and current condition
Following this Protestant defeat, the castle was substantially rebuilt by
Archbishop John Hamilton, the illegitimate brother of
Regent Arran
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...
, and successor to
Dr.
Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...
David Cardinal Beaton
David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scottish cardinal prior to the Reformation.
Career
Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest son of eleven children of John Beaton (Bethune) of Ba ...
. But following his death in 1571 it was mainly occupied by a succession of
constables.
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
separated the castle from the archbishopric in 1606, and it was granted to the
Earl of Dunbar
The title Earl of Dunbar, also called Earl of Lothian or Earl of March, was the head of a comital lordship in south-eastern Scotland between the early 12th century and the early 15th century. The first man to use the title of Earl in this earldom ...
, constable since 1603. In 1612 it was returned to Archbishop
George Gledstanes
George Gledstanes (or Gladstanes; c. 1562 – 1615Alan R. MacDonald‘Gledstanes , George (c.1562–1615)’ ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004) was an Archbishop of St Andrews during the seventeenth ce ...
, but further attempts to re-establish the former estates of the Archbishop failed. With the eventual success of the
Reformation in Scotland
The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Scotland broke with the Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterian in its outlook. It was part of the wider European Protestant Refor ...
, the office of the bishop was increasingly eroded until it was finally abolished by
William of Orange in 1689. Deprived of any function, the castle fell rapidly into ruin by 1656, it had fallen into such disrepair that the burgh council ordered the use of its materials in repairing the pier. The principal remains are a portion of the south wall enclosing a square tower, the "bottle dungeon," the kitchen tower, and the underground mine and counter-mine.
Gallery
File:Attributed to Robert Adamson (Scottish - St. Andrews Castle from the East) - Google Art Project - top image.jpg, 1843-44 photo of St. Andrews Castle by Robert Adamson
File:St. Andrews Castle 2017-05-28.jpg, The courtyard of St Andrews Castle
Image:General view of castle from SE.jpg, The ruins of St Andrews Castle from the south east
File:St Andrews Castle.jpg, The front of St Andrews Castle
File:Saint Andrews Castle (38560587426).jpg, Inside St Andrews Castle
File:St Andrews Castle Scotland Reflection.jpg, St Andrews Castle reflected in the sea
File:St Andrews Castle (33519215518).jpg
Footnotes
External links
*Historic Environment Scotland
Visitor guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Andrews Castle
Ruined castles in Fife
St Andrews
Episcopal palaces in Scotland
Defunct prisons in Scotland
Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Fife
Historic house museums in Fife