St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
in Scotland, southeast of
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
and northeast of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fourth-largest settlement and
45th most populous settlement in Scotland.
The town is home to the
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
, the third oldest university in the
English-speaking world
Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the '' Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest languag ...
and the oldest in Scotland. It was ranked as the best university in the UK by the 2022 Good University Guide, which is published by ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' and ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
''. According to other rankings, it is ranked as one of the best universities in the United Kingdom.
The town is named after
Saint Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter ...
the
Apostle
An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...
. The settlement grew to the west of
St Andrews Cathedral
The Cathedral of St Andrew (often referred to as St Andrews Cathedral) is a ruined cathedral in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was built in 1158 and became the centre of the Medieval Catholic Church in Scotland as the seat of the Archdiocese of ...
, with the southern side of the Scores to the north and the Kinness Burn to the south. The burgh soon became the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, a position which was held until the
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...
. The famous
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
, the largest in Scotland, now lies in ruins. St Andrews Cathedral was once the largest building in Europe.
St Andrews is also known globally as the "
home of golf
Golf in Scotland was first recorded in the Scottish late Middle Ages, and the modern game of golf was first developed and established in the country. The game plays a key role in the national sporting consciousness.
The Royal and Ancient Golf ...
". This is in part because of
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world. It is a private members-only club based in St Andrews in Scotland. It was previously known colloquially as "The R&A", but in 2004, a new organisation kn ...
, founded in 1754, which until 2004 exercised legislative authority over the game worldwide (except in the United States and Mexico). It is also because the famous
Old Course
The Old Course at St Andrews, also known as the Old Lady or the Grand Old Lady, is considered the oldest golf course.
It is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by the St Andrews Links, St Andrews ...
of
St Andrews Links
St Andrews Links in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "Home of Golf.” It has one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century. Today there are seven public golf courses; the ...
(acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
, the oldest of
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
's four
major championships. Visitors travel to St Andrews in great numbers for several courses ranked amongst the finest in the world, as well as for the sandy beaches.
The Martyrs Memorial, erected to the honour of
Patrick Hamilton,
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, ...
, and other martyrs of the
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 ...
epoch, stands at the west end of the Scores on a cliff overlooking the sea. The civil parish has a population of 18,421 (in 2011).
[Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of Scotland. Web site http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ retrieved March 2016. See "Standard Outputs", Table KS101SC, Area type: Civil Parish 1930]
The town also contains numerous museums, a botanic garden and an aquarium.
Name and etymology
The earliest recorded name of the area is ''Cennrígmonaid''. This is
Old Gaelic
Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writte ...
and composed of the elements (head, peninsula), (king) and (moor). This became ''Cell Rígmonaid'' (''cell'' meaning church) and was Scoticised to ''Kilrymont''. The modern Gaelic spelling is ''Cill Rìmhinn''. It is likely that the
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
name represents an adaptation of a
Pictish
Pictish is the extinct language, extinct Brittonic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited num ...
form ''*Penrimond''.
The name ''St Andrews'' derives from the town's claim to be the resting place of bones of the apostle
Andrew
Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...
. According to legend,
St Regulus
Saint Regulus or Saint Rule (Old Irish: ''Riagal'') was a legendary 4th century monk or bishop of Patras, Greece who in AD 345 is said to have fled to Scotland with the bones of Saint Andrew, and deposited them at St Andrews. His feast day in th ...
(or Rule) brought the relics to Kilrymont, where a shrine was established for their safekeeping and veneration while Kilrymont was renamed in honour of the saint. This is the origin of a third name for the town ''Kilrule''.
History
![Inscription on the Martyrs' Monument (geograph 2678849)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Inscription_on_the_Martyrs%27_Monument_%28geograph_2678849%29.jpg)
The first inhabitants who settled on the estuary fringes of the rivers
Tay
Tay may refer to:
People and languages
* Tay (name), including lists of people with the given name, surname and nickname
* Tay people, an ethnic group of Vietnam
** Tày language
*Atayal language, an Austronesian language spoken in Taiwan (ISO 639 ...
and
Eden during the mesolithic (middle Stone Age) came from the plains in Northern Europe between 10,000 and 5,000 BCE.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – City by The Northern Sea'' pp.1–2.] This was followed by the nomadic people who settled around the modern town around 4,500 BCE as farmers clearing the area of woodland and building monuments.
In the mid-eighth century a monastery was established by the Pictish king
Oengus I
In Irish mythology, Aengus or Óengus is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann and probably originally a god associated with youth, love,Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice-Hall Press, ...
, traditionally associated with the relics of
Saint Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter ...
, a number of bones supposed to be the saint's arm, kneecap, three fingers and a tooth believed to have been brought to the town by St Regulus.
[Gifford ''Buildings of Scotland – Fife'' p.357.] In AD 877, king
Causantín mac Cináeda
Causantín mac Cináeda ( Modern Gaelic: ; died 877) was a king of the Picts. He is often known as Constantine I in reference to his place in modern lists of kings of Scots, but contemporary sources described only as a Pictish king. A son of ("K ...
(Constantine I or II) built a new church for the Culdees at St Andrews and later the same year was captured and executed (or perhaps killed in battle) after defending against Viking raiders.
In AD 906, the town became the seat of the bishop of Alba, with the boundaries of the see being extended to include land between the
River Forth
The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Gaelic name for the upper reach of th ...
and
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water ( gd, Abhainn Thuaidh, sco, Watter o Tweid, cy, Tuedd), is a river long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. Tweed cloth derives its name from its association with the R ...
.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – City by The Northern Sea'' p.16.] In 940
Constantine III abdicated and took the position of abbot of the monastery of St Andrews.
The establishment of the present town began around 1140 by Bishop Robert on an L-shaped hill, possibly on the site of the ruined
St Andrews Castle
St Andrews Castle is a ruin located in the coastal Royal Burgh of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The castle sits on a rocky promontory overlooking a small beach called Castle Sands and the adjoining North Sea. There has been a castle standing a ...
.
[Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' p.71.] According to a charter of 1170, the new burgh was built to the west of the Cathedral precinct, along Castle Street and possibly as far as what is now known as North Street.
This means that the lay-out may have led to the creation of two new streets (North Street and South Street) from the foundations of the new St Andrews
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
filling the area inside a two-sided triangle at its apex.
The northern boundary of the burgh was the southern side of the Scores (the street between North Street and the sea) with the southern by the Kinness Burn and the western by the West Port.
[Gifford ''The Buildings of Scotland: Fife'' p.359.] The burgh of St Andrews was first represented at the great council at
Scone Palace
Scone Palace is a Category A-listed historic house near the village of Scone and the city of Perth, Scotland. Built in red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is an example of the Gothic Revival style in Scotland.
Scone was originally the s ...
in 1357.
St Andrews, in particular the large cathedral built in 1160, was the most important centre of pilgrimage in medieval Scotland and one of the most important in Europe. Pilgrims from all over Scotland came in large numbers hoping to be blessed, and in many cases to be cured, at the shrine of Saint Andrew. The presence of the pilgrims brought about increased trade and development. Recognised as the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, the town now had vast economic and political influence within Europe as a cosmopolitan town.
[Cook ''Old St Andrews'' p.3.] The Scottish Parliament met in the town in 1304, when King
Edward I
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 vassal o ...
, in his capacity as overlord of Scotland, came to be received by
Bishop William de Lamberton
William de Lamberton, sometimes modernized as William Lamberton, (died 20 May 1328) was Bishop of St Andrews from 1297 (consecrated 1298) until his death. Lamberton is renowned for his influential role during the Scottish Wars of Independence. ...
. As many as 130 landowners turned up to witness the event ranging from Sir John of Cambo to Sir William Murray of Fort.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – The City by the Northern Sea'' p.188.]
In 1559, the town fell into decay after the violent
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...
and the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities united in a pers ...
losing the status of ecclesiastical capital of Scotland.
[Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' p.76.] Even the University of St Andrews was considering relocating to
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
around 1697 and 1698.
Under the authorisation of the
bishop 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 ...
, the town was made a burgh of barony in 1614.
Royal Burgh
A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
was then granted as a charter by King
James VI
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 (disambiguat ...
in 1620.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews –City by The Northern Sea'' p.19.][Omand ''The Fife Book'' p.109.] In the 18th century, the town was still in decline, but despite this the town was becoming known for having links 'well known to golfers'.
By the 19th century, the town began to expand beyond the original medieval boundaries with streets of new houses and town villas being built.
Today, St Andrews is served by education, golf and the tourist and conference industry.
In 1951, ''The Masque of St. Andrews'', which dramatised important events in the town's history, was staged in the Cathedral grounds as part of the
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan says the Festival was a "triumphant success" during which people:
...
.
Governance
Local government
St Andrews is represented by several tiers of elected government. Prior to 1975 the town was governed by a burgh council, a
provost and
baillie
A bailie or baillie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where bailies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate (see bailiff). Baillies appointed the high constables ...
s. From 1975, St Andrews was administered by
North East Fife District Council and
Fife Regional Council. North East Fife District was abolished in 1996 when Fife Council became the unitary authority. Fife Council, based in
Glenrothes
Glenrothes (; , ; sco, Glenrothes; gd, Gleann Rathais) is a town situated in the heart of Fife, in east-central Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south of Dundee. The town had a population of 39,277 in the 2011 census, making i ...
, is now the
executive
Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to:
Role or title
* Executive, a senior management role in an organization
** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators
** Executive dire ...
,
deliberative Deliberative rhetoric (Greek: ''genos'' ''symbouleutikon;'' Latin: ''genus deliberativum,'' sometimes called legislative oratory) is one of the three kinds of rhetoric described by Aristotle. Deliberative rhetoric juxtaposes potential future outcome ...
and
legislative
A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government.
Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known as p ...
body responsible for
local governance
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
.
The
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
is responsible for
devolved matters
In the United Kingdom, devolved matters are the areas of public policy where the Parliament of the United Kingdom has devolved its legislative power to the national assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while reserved matters an ...
such as
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
,
health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
and
justice
Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
while
reserved matters
In the United Kingdom, devolved matters are the areas of public policy where the Parliament of the United Kingdom has devolved its legislative power to the national assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while reserved matters an ...
are dealt with by the
.
The Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, meeting on the first Monday of the month in the Council Chamber of
St Andrews Town Hall, forms the lowest tier of governance whose statutory role is to communicate local opinion to local and central government. The current Chair is Mrs Penelope Fraser. The Chair uses the honorary title of Provost of St Andrews on official and ceremonial occasions, this ancient title having been revived to mark the 400th Anniversary of the granting of Royal Burgh status to St Andrews in 1620 by King James VI & I.
UK Parliament
In the early days of the United Kingdom, following implementation of the
union of 1707
The Acts of Union ( gd, Achd an Aonaidh) were two Acts of Parliament: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act 1707 passed by the Parliament of Scotland. They put into effect the te ...
, St Andrews elected one
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) to the United Kingdom Parliament.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – The City by the Northern Sea'' p.190.] Following the implementation of the
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 (also known as the 1832 Reform Act, Great Reform Act or First Reform Act) was an Act of Parliament, Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom (indexed as 2 & 3 Will. IV c. 45) that introduced major chan ...
St Andrews Burgh merged with
Anstruther
Anstruther ( sco, Ainster or Enster ; gd, Ànsruthair) is a small coastal resort town in Fife, Scotland, situated on the north-shore of the Firth of Forth and south-southeast of St Andrews. The town comprises two settlements, Anstruther ...
for the purposes of electing one MP to the United Kingdom Parliament.
Following implementation of the
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equal ...
, there was one MP sitting for St Andrews Burgh (which would include Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester,
Crail
Crail (); gd, Cathair Aile) is a former royal burgh, parish and community council area (Royal Burgh of Crail and District) in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland.
The locality has an estimated population of 1,630 (2018).
Etymology
The name ''C ...
, Cupar,
Kilrenny
Kilrenny ( gd, Cill Reithnidh) is a village in Fife, Scotland. Part of the East Neuk, it lies immediately to the north of (but inland and separate from) Anstruther on the south Fife coast.
The first element of the name is from the Scottish Ga ...
and Pittenweem).
St Andrews now forms part of the
North East Fife constituency, electing one
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP) to the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system. The constituency is represented by
Wendy Chamberlain
Wendy Anne Chamberlain (born 20 December 1976) is a Scottish politician serving as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since 2021. She was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Fife at the 2019 General Election.
As of ...
,
MP of the
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats ( gd, Pàrtaidh Libearal Deamocratach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Leeberal Democrats) is a liberal, federalist political party in Scotland, a part of the United Kingdom Liberal Democrats. The party currently holds 4 o ...
. For the purposes of the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
, St Andrews forms part of the
North East Fife constituency. The North East Fife Scottish Parliament (or ''Holyrood'') constituency created in 1999 is one of nine within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. Each constituency elects one
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; gd, Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, BPA; sco, Memmer o the Scots Pairliament, MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.
Electoral system
The ad ...
(MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and the region elects seven additional members to produce a form of proportional representation. The seat was won at the
2016 Scottish Parliament Election
The 2016 Scottish parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2016 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the fifth election held since the devolved parliament was established in 1999. It was the first parliamentary electi ...
by
Willie Rennie
William Cowan Rennie (born 27 September 1967), commonly known as Willie Rennie, is a Scottish politician who served as the Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 2011 to 2021. He has served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MS ...
, for the
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats ( gd, Pàrtaidh Libearal Deamocratach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Leeberal Democrats) is a liberal, federalist political party in Scotland, a part of the United Kingdom Liberal Democrats. The party currently holds 4 o ...
.
Demography
According to the 2001 census, St Andrews had a total population of 14,209.
The population increased to around 16,680 in 2008
and 16,800 in 2012
The demographic make-up of the population is much in line with the rest of Scotland. The age group from 16 to 29 forms the largest portion of the population (37%).
The median age of males and females living in St Andrews was 29 and 34 years respectively, compared to 37 and 39 years for those in the whole of Scotland.
The place of birth of the town's residents was 87.78% United Kingdom (including 61.80% from Scotland), 0.63% Republic of Ireland, 4.18% from other European Union countries, and 7.42% from elsewhere in the world.
The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 23.94% in full-time employment, 8.52% in part-time employment, 4.73% self-employed, 1.94% unemployed, 31.14% students with jobs, 9.08% students without jobs, 13.24% retired, 2.91% looking after home or family, 2.84% permanently sick or disabled, and 1.67% economically inactive for other reasons.
Economy
St Andrews, whose economy stands at £660 million, relies heavily on tourism and education. In 2016, one out of every five jobs in St Andrews is related to tourism.
St Andrews is often considered as an expensive destination. In 2016, St Andrews was reported to be home to the "Most Expensive Street in Scotland", with average house prices in The Scores in excess of 2 million pounds.
Weather and climate
![View from St Salvator's Tower](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/View_from_St_Salvator%27s_Tower.jpg)
St Andrews has a
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
maritime climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
, which is relatively mild despite its northerly
latitude
In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...
. Winters are not as cold as one might expect, considering that
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
and
Labrador
, nickname = "The Big Land"
, etymology =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Canada
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 ...
lie on the same latitude. Daytime temperatures can fall below freezing and average around . However, the town is subject to strong winds. Night-time frosts are common; however, snowfall is more rare.
The nearest official Met Office weather station for which data are available is at Leuchars, about northwest of St Andrews town centre.
The absolute maximum temperature is , recorded in July 2022.
In a typical year, the warmest day should reach and a total of 2 days should record a temperature of or above. The warmest calendar month (since 1960) was July 2006, with a mean temperature of (mean maximum of , mean minimum of )
The absolute minimum temperature (since 1960) stands at recorded during February 1972, although in an 'average' year, the coldest night should only fall to . Typically, just short of 60 nights a year will experience an air frost. The coldest calendar month (since 1960) was December 2010, with a mean temperature of (mean maximum , mean minimum )
Rainfall, at little more than 650 mm per year makes St Andrews one of the driest parts of Scotland, shielded from Atlantic weather systems by several mountain ranges. Over 1 mm of rain is recorded on just under 117 days of the year.
Sunshine, averaging in excess of 1,500 hours a year is amongst the highest for Scotland, and comparable to inland parts of Southern England. St Andrews is about the furthest north annual levels of above 1500 hours are encountered.
All averages refer to the 1971–2000 observation period.
Transport
The
St Andrews Railway
The St Andrews Railway was an independent railway company, founded in 1851 to build a railway branch line from the university town of St Andrews, in Fife, Scotland, to the nearby main line railway. It opened in 1852. When the Tay Rail Bridge ope ...
provided a connection to the main
Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
at
Leuchars railway station
Leuchars railway station ( ) serves the towns of Leuchars and St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The station is the last northbound stop before Dundee.
The station was built as Leuchars Junction station for the route over the Tay Bridge to Dundee, t ...
. This service was ended in 1969. The
St Andrews Rail Link
The St Andrews Rail Link (StARLink) Campaign was established in 1989 with the aim of reconnecting Scottish town of St Andrews to the railway. The historical St Andrews Railway, which had connected St Andrews to the mainline via Leuchars Junctio ...
project aims at realising a new high-speed twin-cord mainline rail link via Cupar to the south and west and via Leuchars to the north.
Nowadays, the only public transport to reach trains at Leuchars or to connect other towns in
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
is the
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...
bus station located near the town centre. Stagecoach's Route 99 (and its alternate routes 99A, 99B, 99C, 99D) connects St Andrews to
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
via
Leuchars
Leuchars (pronounced or ; gd, Luachar "rushes") is a small town and parish near the north-east coast of Fife in Scotland.
The civil parish has a population of 5,754 (in 2011) Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Populat ...
with buses up to every ten minutes. Moffat & Williamson operates Route 92 (and 92A, 92B, 92C) on a lesser frequency from Balmullo via Leuchars station to St Andrews before looping the town. There are also some local bus service that links the town centre to
St Andrews Community Hospital
St Andrews Community Hospital is a small hospital to the south of the university town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The hospital serves the town of St Andrews and surrounding villages in North East Fife and is managed by NHS Fife.
History
T ...
in the south.
St Andrews Bus Station provides frequent bus services to most towns in
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
and the nearby city of
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
via Leuchars, and less frequent services to further destinations like
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
and
Stirling
Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
. Travellers from
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is an airport located in the Ingliston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2019, handling over 14.7 million passengers. It was also the sixth-busiest airport in the United Kingdom by t ...
may take Route 747 to Halbeath Park & Ride then take X59/X24 to St Andrews. Otherwise, they have to travel to central Edinburgh for train or bus services.
Dundee Airport
Dundee Airport ( gd, Port-adhair Dhùn Dèagh) is located from the centre of Dundee, Scotland or, for navigation purposes, south of the city. It lies on the shore of the Firth of Tay and overlooks the Tay Rail Bridge.
It is a popular transpo ...
, about 15 miles north of the town, has flights that connect with
London-City and
Belfast-City provided by
Loganair
Loganair is a Scottish regional airline based at Glasgow Airport near Paisley, Scotland. It is the largest regional airline in the UK by passenger numbers and fleet size.
In addition to its main base at Glasgow, it has hubs at Aberdeen, Edinb ...
.
Roads
A91,
A915,
A917
List of A roads in zone 9 in Great Britain starting north of the A8, east of the A9 (roads beginning with 9).
Single- and double-digit roads
Triple-digit roads
Four-digit roads
See also
* B roads in Zone 9 of the Great Britain numberi ...
,
A918 and
B939 traverse the town at different locations.
Landmarks
![West Port in St Andrews](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/West_Port_in_St_Andrews.jpg)
St Andrews was once bounded by several "ports" (the
Lowland Scots word for a town gate). Two are still extant: So'gait port (South Street, now called West Port) and the Sea Yett (as The Pends terminates to the harbour). The West Port is one of few surviving town "Ports" in Scotland
[Walker and Ritchie ''Fife, Perthshire and Angus'' p.79.] and is 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 towers were influenced by those seen at the base of the Netherbow Port in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
.
[Pride ''Kingdom of Fife'' pp.124–126.] The central archway which displays semi-octagonal "rownds" and "battling" is supported by corbelling and neatly moulded passageways. Side arches and relief panels were added to the port, during the reconstruction between 1843 and 1845.
The Category A listed
Holy Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
(also known as the Holy Trinity Parish Church or "town kirk") is the most historic church in St Andrews.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – City by The Northern Sea'' p.171.] The church was initially built on land, close to the south-east gable of the cathedral, around 1144, and was dedicated in 1234 by Bishop
David de Bernham
David de Bernham (died 1253) was Chamberlain of King Alexander II of Scotland and subsequently, Bishop of St Andrews. He was elected to the see in June 1239, and finally consecrated, after some difficulties, in January 1240. He died at Nenthorn ...
. It then moved to a new site on the north side of South Street between 1410 and 1412 by bishop Warlock.
Much of the architecture feature of the church was lost in the re-building by Robert Balfour between 1798 and 1800.
[Fife Regional Council ''Medieval Abbeys and Historic Churches in Fife'' p.46.] The church was later restored to a (more elaborately decorated) approximation of its medieval appearance between 1907 and 1909 by MacGregor Chambers.
[Cook ''Old St Andrews'' p.14.]
To the east of the town centre, lie the ruins of
St Andrews Cathedral
The Cathedral of St Andrew (often referred to as St Andrews Cathedral) is a ruined cathedral in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was built in 1158 and became the centre of the Medieval Catholic Church in Scotland as the seat of the Archdiocese of ...
.
[Fife Regional Council ''Medieval Abbeys and Historic Churches in Fife'' p.22.] This was at one time Scotland's largest building, originated in the priory of Canons Regular founded by Bishop Robert Kennedy. St Rule's Church, to the south-east of the medieval cathedral is said to date from around 1120 and 1150, being the predecessor of the cathedral.
[Walker and Ritchie ''Fife, Perthshire and Angus'' pp.130–132.] The tall square tower, part of the church, was built to hold the relics of
St Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( grc-koi, Ἀνδρέᾱς, Andréās ; la, Andrēās ; , syc, ܐܰܢܕ݁ܪܶܐܘܳܣ, ʾAnd’reʾwās), also called Saint Andrew, was an apostle of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is the brother of Simon Peter ...
and became known as the first cathedral in the town.
[Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' pp.70–72.] After the death of Bishop Robert Kennedy, a new cathedral was begun in 1160 by Bishop Arnold (his successor) on a site adjacent to St Rule's Church.
Work on the cathedral was finally completed and consecrated in 1318 by
Bishop William de Lamberton
William de Lamberton, sometimes modernized as William Lamberton, (died 20 May 1328) was Bishop of St Andrews from 1297 (consecrated 1298) until his death. Lamberton is renowned for his influential role during the Scottish Wars of Independence. ...
with
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
(1306–29) present at the ceremony.
The cathedral and associated buildings, including St Rule's Church, are protected as a scheduled monument.
![The ruins of St Andrews Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/The_ruins_of_St_Andrews_Castle.jpg)
The ruins of
St Andrews Castle
St Andrews Castle is a ruin located in the coastal Royal Burgh of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The castle sits on a rocky promontory overlooking a small beach called Castle Sands and the adjoining North Sea. There has been a castle standing a ...
are situated on a cliff-top to the north of the town.
[Walker and Ritchie ''Fife, Perthshire and Angus'' pp.115–116.][Pride ''Kingdom of Fife'' p.121.] The castle was first erected around 1200 as the residence, prison and fortress of the bishops of the diocese. Several reconstructions occurred in subsequent centuries, most notably due to damage incurred in 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 ...
.
![St Andrews Bandstand](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/St_Andrews_Bandstand.jpg)
The castle was occupied, besieged and stormed during
The Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing (December 1543 – March 1551), also known as the Eight Years' War, was part of the Anglo-Scottish Wars of the 16th century. Following its break with the Roman Catholic Church, England attacked Scotland, partly to break the ...
and was severely damaged in the process.
The majority of the castle seen today dates to between 1549 and 1571. The work was commissioned by
John Hamilton (archbishop of St Andrews)
John Hamilton (3 February 1512 – 6 April 1571), Scottish prelate and politician, was an illegitimate son of The 1st Earl of Arran (in the Peerage of Scotland).
Brother of the Regent
At a very early age Hamilton became a monk and Abbot of Pai ...
in a renaissance style which made the building a comfortable, palatial residence while still remaining well-fortified.
After the Reformation, the castle passed to several owners, who could not maintain its structure and the building deteriorated into a ruin.
The castle is now a scheduled monument administered 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 ...
.
The
apse
In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
of the
Dominican friary
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
,
Blackfriars Blackfriars, derived from Black Friars, a common name for the Dominican Order of friars, may refer to:
England
* Blackfriars, Bristol, a former priory in Bristol
* Blackfriars, Canterbury, a former monastery in Kent
* Blackfriars, Gloucester, a f ...
, can still be seen on South Street (between Madras College and Bell Street). Other defunct religious houses that existed in the medieval town, though less visible, have left traces, as for instance the
leper hospital
A leper colony, also known by many other names, is an isolated community for the quarantining and treatment of lepers, people suffering from leprosy. '' M. leprae'', the bacterium responsible for leprosy, is believed to have spread from East Af ...
at
St Nicholas farmhouse (The Steading) between Albany Park and the East Sands leisure centre.
Education
![Madras College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Madras_College.JPG)
Today, St Andrews is home to one secondary school, one private school and three primary schools.
Canongate Primary School, which opened in 1972 is located off the Canongate, beside the
St Andrews Botanic Garden
The St Andrews Botanic Garden is an 18-acre botanical garden in the university town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. It is located on the banks of the wooded Kinness Burn in the Canongate area, on the southern edge of the town. The gardens ar ...
. The school roll was recorded in February 2008 as 215.
Lawhead Primary School, which opened in 1974 is on the western edge of the town. The school roll was recorded in September 2009 as 181.
Greyfriars Primary School is a Roman Catholic school located in the southern part of the town.
Madras College
Madras College, often referred to as Madras, is a Scottish comprehensive secondary school located in St Andrews, Fife. It educates over 1,400 pupils aged between 11 and 18 and was founded in 1833 by the Rev. Dr Andrew Bell.
History
Madras ...
is the sole secondary school in the town. The school which opened to pupils in 1833 was based on a Madras system – founded and endowed by Dr Andrew Bell (1755–1832), a native of the town.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – A City by the Northern Sea'' pp177–178][Cook ''Old St Andrews'' p.13.] Prior to the opening, Bell was interested in the demand for a school which was able to teach both poor and privileged children on one site.
The high reputation of the school meant that many children came from throughout Britain to be taught there, often lodging with masters or residents in the town.
The was school located on two campuses – Kilrymont, (which opened in 1967) and South Street (incorporating the original 1833 building). Pupils in S1-S3 are served by Kilrymont and S4-S6 by South Street.
Plans to build a replacement for Madras College on a single site have been ongoing since 2006. Originally, the school was in negotiations with the
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
for a joint new build at Lang Lands on land owned by the university. The plans, which were scrapped in August 2011, would have seen the school share the university's playing fields.
In October 2011, a scoring exercise drawn up by the council to decide the best location for the new Madras College was put before parents, staff and the local community to ask for their views. A £40-million redevelopment of the Kilrymont building proved to be most popular and was officially given the go-ahead in November 2011.
This decision was met with controversy from parents, staff and the local community.
Following a decision from a group of senior councillors to analyse the other potential sites than push ahead with the controversial redevelopment, The new Building was finished in 2021.
In August 2020, it was reported that the college will sell its Kilrymont site and built a replacement school at Langlands.
![St Andrews University Classics Building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/St_Andrews_University_Classics_Building.jpg)
The private school known as
St Leonards School
St Leonards School is an independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 4–19 in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1877 as St Andrews School for Girls Company, it adopted the St Leonards name upon moving to its current premises, the s ...
was initially established as the St Andrews School for girls company in 1877. The present name was taken in 1882 when a move to St Leonards House was made.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – City by the Northern Sea'' pp183–185.] The school is now spread across thirty acres between Pends Road and Kinnesburn.
A private school for boys was also set up in 1933 as
New Park. The operations of the school merged with the middle and junior sections of St Leonards to become St Leonards-New Park in 2005.
The
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
, which is the
third oldest English-speaking university and the
oldest university in Scotland, was founded between 1410 and 1413.
[Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' p.83.] A charter for the university was issued by Bishop
Henry Wardlaw
Henry Wardlaw (died 6 April 1440) was a Kingdom of Scotland, 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 ...
between 1411 and 1412 and this was followed by
Avignon Pope Benedict XIII
Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor (25 November 1328 – 23 May 1423), known as in Spanish and Pope Luna in English, was an Aragonese nobleman who, as Benedict XIII, is considered an antipope (see Western Schism) by the Catholic Church ...
granting university status to award degrees to students in 1413.
The school initially started out as a society for learned men in the fields of canon law, the arts and divinity.
The chapel and college of St John the Evangelist became the first building to have ties with the university in 1415.
The two original colleges to be associated with the university were St Salvator in 1450 by Bishop
James Kennedy and St Leonard in 1512 by archbishop
Alexander Stewart and prior
James Hepburn.
Sport and recreation
Golf
![18th Green and Clubhouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/18th_Green_and_Clubhouse.jpg)
St Andrews is known widely as the "home of golf".
[Pride ''Kingdom of Fife'' p.118.] According to the earliest surviving document from 1552, the "playing at golf" on the links adjacent to the "water of eden" was granted permission by Archbishop Hamilton.
The most famous golf course in the town is the Old Course, purchased by the town council in 1894.
The course which dates back to medieval times, is an
Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
course – which was first staged in 1873 and will host the 2022 Open Championship.
[Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' pp.224–227.] Famous winners at St Andrews have included:
Old Tom Morris
Thomas Mitchell Morris (16 June 1821 – 24 May 1908), otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, and The Grand Old Man of Golf, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died t ...
(1861, 1862, 1867 and 1874),
Bobby Jones (1927 and 1930
British Amateur
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
),
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed The Golden Bear, is a retired American professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest go ...
(1970 and 1978) and
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records.
*
*
* Woods is widely regarded as ...
(2000 and 2005).
[Cook ''Old St Andrews'' p.39.] According to
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed The Golden Bear, is a retired American professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest go ...
, "if a golfer is going to be remembered, he must win at St Andrews".
There are seven golf courses in total – Old, New, Jubilee, Eden, Strathtyrum, Balgove and the Castle –
surrounding the western approaches of the town.
[Lamont-Brown ''St Andrews – City by The Northern Sea'' p.85.] The seventh golf course (the Castle) was added in 2007 at
Kinkell Braes, designed by David McLay Kidd.
Other leisure facilities in the town include a canoe club, a senior football club (
St Andrews United), a rugby club (known as
Madras Rugby Club), tennis club, university sports centre, and a links golf driving range. The East Sands Leisure Centre, which opened in 1988, sits on the outskirts of the town as the town's swimming pool with gym facilities.
West Sands Beach
![West Sands Beach, St Andrews - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/West_Sands_Beach%2C_St_Andrews_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1803950.jpg)
West Sands Beach in St Andrews, Scotland,
served as the set for the opening scene in the movie ''
Chariots of Fire
''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a de ...
''.
[Archived a]
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
This scene was reenacted during the
2012 Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
torch relay.
The beach was also featured in the
2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on the evening of Friday 27 July 2012 in the Olympic Stadium, London, during which the Games were formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the pr ...
[Archived a]
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
The beach is adjacent to the famous St Andrews Links golf course. Sand dunes on the beach, which have long protected the golf course, are themselves in danger of eroding away, and are the subject of a restoration project.
Places of interest
Byre Theatre
![Byre Theatre, St Andrews](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Byre_Theatre%2C_St_Andrews.jpg)
The
Byre Theatre
The Byre Theatre is a theatre in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was founded in 1933 by Charles Marford, an actor (found in the '' Who's Who'' of 1921) and Alexander B. Paterson, a local journalist and playwright, with help from a theatre group ...
was founded in 1933 by Charles Marford, an actor (found in the Who's Who of 1921) and Alexander B. Paterson, a local journalist and playwright, with help from a theatre group made up from members of Hope Park Church, St Andrews. The third and current building was opened in 2001 by Sir
Sean Connery
Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
. Its main auditorium is named after A.B. Paterson. There is also a second 60-seat performance space named after the late golf photographer, Lawrence Levy. The theatre is said to be haunted by the benevolent ghost of Charles Marford, one of its founders.
Lade Braes Walk
![Law Mill, Lade Braes, St Andrews, Fife](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Law_Mill%2C_Lade_Braes%2C_St_Andrews%2C_Fife.JPG)
The Lade Braes Walk is a scenic public footpath of about that follows the route of a medieval mill
lade Lade may refer to:
People
* Brendon Lade (born 1976), an Australian rules footballer
* Sir John Lade (1759–1838), a baronet and Regency horse-breeder
* Heinrich Eduard von Lade (1817–1904), a German banker and amateur astronomer
* The Jarls o ...
through St Andrews.
The walk starts in the town centre near Madras College and runs roughly westward, through Cockshaugh Park to Law Mill.
The lade's function was to transport water from a higher upstream point on the Kinness Burn to the
water mill
A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production o ...
in the grounds of
St Andrews Cathedral Priory
St Andrews Cathedral Priory was a priory of Augustinian canons in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was one of the great religious houses in Scotland, and instrumental in the founding of the University of St Andrews.
History
Plans were made for it ...
where it arrived at an elevated level simply by following the contours of the land. It may have been built before 1144.
[Smart, RN (1991). ''Notes on the Water Mills of St Andrews (1989) in 'Three Decades of Historical Notes' (ed. M Innes & J Whelan)'' p.179.] In the late 19th century, the lade was covered over and the area from Cockshaugh Park to Law Mill was landscaped and planted with trees.
The remains of Law Mill, its grain drying kiln and
water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of flowing or falling water into useful forms of power, often in a watermill. A water wheel consists of a wheel (usually constructed from wood or metal), with a number of blades or buckets ...
are a category C
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
A Brae is an old Scots word for the high ground adjoining a river bank.
Museum
The
St Andrews Museum is a municipal museum focusing on the history of the town of St Andrews in St Andrews established in 1991 it is located in Kinburn Park. It holds a collection of objects of historical value that are related to the town from the earliest times up to the twentieth century. It is located in the historic Kinburn house named after the
Battle of Kindurn during the Crimean War.
University Museum
The
Museum of the University of St Andrews
The Wardlaw Museum is associated with the University of St Andrews. The museum houses a selection of the university's historic, artistic and scientific collections, which comprise over 115,000 artefacts. They are displayed across four galleries w ...
is a small museum dedicated to the history of the University of St Andrews. The museum, which is free to enter, looks at the university's foundation, student life at the university, and innovative ideas and inventions associated with staff, students, and alumni. The museum also shows a range of temporary exhibitions on different themes. Highlights of the displays include the university's three medieval maces, which are rare examples of ornate ceremonial University maces from the 15th century, and a large astrolabe dating from 1575.
Botanic Garden
''See
main article''
The
St Andrews Botanic Garden
The St Andrews Botanic Garden is an 18-acre botanical garden in the university town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. It is located on the banks of the wooded Kinness Burn in the Canongate area, on the southern edge of the town. The gardens ar ...
is an 18-acre
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
in the Canongate suburb to the south of the town. It contains more than 8000 species of native and exotic plants. These are laid out in zones of woodland, meadow, shrubbery, herbaceous bedding, a large rockery and a series of ponds. There are also vegetable and herb gardens, and several large greenhouses, one of which contains a
butterfly house
A butterfly house, conservatory, or lepidopterarium is a facility which is specifically intended for the breeding and display of butterflies with an emphasis on education. Some butterfly houses also feature other insects and arthropods. Butterf ...
. There is an entrance fee for most visitors with some exceptions (e.g. juniors, students or faculties of the University of St Andrews).
Aquarium
The St Andrews Aquarium is located on the cliff foot of the Scores overlooking West Sands. As well as the many fish species on display, there are also penguins and meerkats.
International relations
As of St. Andrew's Day 2015, the town is formally twinned with the French medieval town of
Loches
Loches () is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, central France.
It is situated southeast of Tours by road, on the left bank of the river Indre.
History
Loches (the Roman ''Leucae'') grew up around a monastery founded about 500 by St. ...
, with which it had previously shared a cultural exchange for over two decades.
Freedom of the City
The following people and military units have received the
Freedom of the City and Royal Burgh of St Andrews.
Individuals
*
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
: 1759.
*
Earl of Elgin
Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the ...
: 19 July 1902.
*
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
(Later Edward VIII).
*
Robert Tyre Jones Jr.: 1958.
*
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed The Golden Bear, is a retired American professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest go ...
: 11 July 2022.
Military units
*
RAF Leuchars
Royal Air Force Leuchars or RAF Leuchars was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. Throughout the Cold War and beyond, the station was home to fighter aircraft which policed northern UK airspac ...
: 1968.
See also
*
All Saints Church, St Andrews
*
Bishop 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 ...
*
Celtic art
Celtic art is associated with the peoples known as Celts; those who spoke the Celtic languages in Europe from pre-history through to the modern period, as well as the art of ancient peoples whose language is uncertain, but have cultural and styli ...
– Pictish stones at St Andrews.
*
The New Picture House
*
St Nicholas Hospital, St Andrews
St Nicholas Hospital was a medieval hospital in St Andrews, Fife. It was located around what is today St Nicholas farmhouse at the Steading, between Albany Park and the East Sands Leisure Centre. Of unknown origin, the establishment served as a h ...
*
St Andrews Community Hospital
St Andrews Community Hospital is a small hospital to the south of the university town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The hospital serves the town of St Andrews and surrounding villages in North East Fife and is managed by NHS Fife.
History
T ...
*
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
*
St Andrews Botanic Garden
The St Andrews Botanic Garden is an 18-acre botanical garden in the university town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. It is located on the banks of the wooded Kinness Burn in the Canongate area, on the southern edge of the town. The gardens ar ...
*
List of town defences in Scotland
This list of town defences in Scotland identifies both the defensive walls and stone walls that were built around towns and cities in Scotland. Scottish burghs were rarely enclosed by walls unlike many English and Welsh cities and towns such ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
* Ash, Marinell. "The diocese of St. Andrews under its 'Norman' bishops." ''Scottish Historical Review'' 55.160 (1976): 105–12
online
* Brooks, Nicholas P., and Graeme Whittington. "Planning and growth in the medieval Scottish burgh: the example of St Andrews." ''Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers'' (1977): 278–295
online* Browne, Sarah. "‘A Veritable Hotbed of Feminism’: Women's Liberation in St Andrews, Scotland, c. 1968–c. 1979." ''Twentieth Century British History'' 23.1 (2012): 100–12
online
* Butler, Richard. "The Influence of Sport on Destination Development: the Example of Golf at St. Andrews." ''Sport tourism destinations'' (2005): 274–282
online* Cameron, Neil. "St Rule's Church, St Andrews, and early stone-built churches in Scotland." ''Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.'' Vol. 124. (1994)
online* Clifford, Ben P., and Charles R. Warren. "Development and the environment: Perception and opinion in St Andrews, Scotland." ''Scottish Geographical Journal'' 121.4 (2005): 355–384.
* Dawson, Jane E. A. "‘The Face of Ane Perfyt Reformed Kyrk’: St Andrews and the Early Scottish Reformation." ''Studies in Church History Subsidia'' 8 (1991): 413–435.
* Duncan, Archibald A. M. "The Foundation of St Andrews Cathedral Priory, 1140." ''Scottish Historical Review'' 84.1 (2005): 1–37.
* Emerson, Roger L. ''Academic Patronage in the Scottish Enlightenment: Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities'' (Edinburgh University Press, 2008).
* Herkless, John, and Robert Kerr Hannay. ''The Archbishops of St. Andrews'' (W. Blackwood, 1907
online
*
*
* Kirk, Russell. "St. Andrews: The Haunted Town" ''History Today'' (Jan 1953) 3#1 pp 22–30. online.
*
*
* Rhodes, Bess. ''Riches and Reform: Ecclesiastical Wealth in St Andrews, c. 1520–1580'' (Brill, 2019).
* Skene, William. "Notice of the Early Ecclesiastical Settlements at St Andrews." ''Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland'' Vol. 4. (1860
online
* Swanson, Robert. "The University of St. Andrews and the Great Schism, 1410–1419." ''Journal of Ecclesiastical History'' 26.3 (1975): 223–245.
External links
*
ttp://www.standrewscc.net/ Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community CouncilThe Official Tourist Portal for St AndrewsSt Andrews Links* Engraving of
view of St Andrewsby
James Fittler
James Fittler (October 1758, in London – 2 December 1835) was an English engraver of portraits and landscapes and an illustrator of books. He was appointed by King George III to be his marine engraver.
Life
Fittler was born in London in Octo ...
in the digitised copy o
Scotia Depicta, or the antiquities, castles, public buildings, noblemen and gentlemen's seats, cities, towns and picturesque scenery of Scotland 1804 at
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland (NLS) ( gd, Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba, sco, Naitional Leebrar o Scotland) is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. As one of the largest libraries in the ...
The Lade Braes
{{Authority control
Royal burghs
Towns in Fife
Parishes in Fife
Populated coastal places in Scotland