St Leonard's College is a

postgraduate Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and stru ...

institute at 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 ...

St Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fou ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. Founded in 1512 as an autonomous

theological college A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

of the University of St Andrews, it merged with St Salvator's College in 1747 to form the United College. In 1972 it was re-instituted as a postgraduate institute.

History

St Leonard's College of 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 ...

was founded as 'The College of Poor Clerks of the Church of St Andrews' in 1512 by Alexander Stewart,

Archbishop 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 ...

and John Hepburn, Prior of St Andrews (receiving Papal recognition by proxy in 1545), on the site of St Leonard's Hospital and Church. Its founding was a result of the poverty and declining status of St John's College, also known as the Pedagogy. The first Provost of St Leonard's was the Dominican John Annand, a pupil of

Jan Standonck Jan Standonck (or ''Jean Standonk''; 16 August 1453 – 5 February 1504) was a Flemish priest, Scholastic, and reformer. He was part of the great movement for reform in the 15th-century French church. His approach was to reform the recruitment ...

and a determined reformer of the clergy. St Leonard's was consequently extremely monastic in nature, with members of the college being subjected to a far more rigorous and formal code of conduct than was in practice at St Salvator's. Because of financial considerations and the general decline of the university, in 1747 St Salvator's and St Leonard's Colleges were amalgamated to form the United College of St Salvator and St Leonard. The buildings of St Leonard's College on South Street were sold, and all teaching thereafter was on the St Salvator's site on North Street. Famous alumni of St Leonard's College include

Alexander Ales Alexander Ales or Alexander Alesius (; 23 April 150017 March 1565) was a Scottish theologian who emigrated to Germany and became a Lutheran supporter of the Augsburg Confession. Life Originally Alexander Alane, he was born at Edinburgh. He s ...

( Alesius),

John Knox John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgat ...

George Buchanan George Buchanan ( gd, Seòras Bochanan; February 1506 – 28 September 1582) was a Scottish historian and humanist scholar. According to historian Keith Brown, Buchanan was "the most profound intellectual sixteenth century Scotland produced." ...

Patrick Adamson Patrick Adamson (1537–1592) was a Scottish divine, and Archbishop of St Andrews from 1575. Life Adamson was born at Perth where his father, Patrick Adamson, a burgess became Dean of Merchant Guildry. Adamson studied philosophy at the Univer ...

and James Melville.

Re-establishment

In 1972 a new St Leonard's College was established as a non-statutory college exclusively for postgraduates, postdoctoral fellows, and research staff. After matriculation, such students are ''de facto'' members of St Leonard’s College. The head of the college retains the medieval title of the older St Leonard's College, Provost.

Notable Principals

from 1568 to 1570 *

Robert Wilkie Robert Leon Wilkie Jr. (born August 2, 1962) is an American lawyer and government official who served as the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2018 to 2021, during the Trump administration. He was previously Under Secretary of De ...

from 1591 to 1611 (Moderator of the Church of Scotland in 1600) * Joseph McCormick from 1781 to 1799 (Moderator of the Church of Scotland in 1782) * James Playfair from 1799 to 1819 *

Francis Nicoll Francis Nicoll (1771–1835) was a senior Church of Scotland who served both as Principal of St Andrews University and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1809, the highest position in the Church of Scotland Life He ...

from 1820 to 1835 *

John Lee John Lee may refer to: Academia * John Lee (astronomer) (1783–1866), president of the Royal Astronomical Society * John Lee (university principal) (1779–1859), University of Edinburgh principal * John Lee (pathologist) (born 1961), English ...

1837/8 (Moderator of the Church of Scotland in 1844) *

David Brewster Sir David Brewster KH PRSE FRS FSA Scot FSSA MICE (11 December 178110 February 1868) was a British scientist, inventor, author, and academic administrator. In science he is principally remembered for his experimental work in physical optics ...

from 1838 to 1859 (the first principal with no religious background) * James Donaldson 1886 to 1915 - including the transition to university status in 1890 *Sir

John Herkless Sir John Herkless (9 August 1855 – 11 June 1920) was a Scottish biographer and educator who was Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of St. Andrews and Principal of United College of St Salvator and St Leonard from 1915 to 1920. ...

1915 to 1920

Buildings

The old college site was visited by

Samuel Johnston Samuel Johnston (December 15, 1733 – August 17, 1816) was an American planter, lawyer, and statesman from Chowan County, North Carolina, Chowan County, North Carolina. He represented North Carolina in both the Continental Congress and the Un ...

and

James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 (New Style, N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of his friend and older contemporary the Englis ...

in August 1773. The old college site has, since the late 19th century, been occupied by

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 ...

. The college chapel remains the property of the university. When it was re-established in 1972 it did not own any property, but since then it has accumulated several buildings including

Deans Court Deans Court is a student hall of residence at the University of St Andrews originating from the 12th century, thus, arguably, the oldest dwelling house in the town of St Andrews, Scotland. It stands at the east-end of St Andrews, where North s ...

and the Martyrs Kirk postgraduate library.

Provosts of St Leonard's College

References

Bibliography

*R.G. Cant ''The University of St Andrews, A Short History'' (Oliver and Boyd Ltd. 1946)

External links

Official College website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Leonard's College, Saint Andrews Colleges of the University of St Andrews Educational institutions established in the 1510s 1512 establishments in Scotland 16th century in Scotland