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Students enjoying the sun
at St. Andrews Bay - Photo:
Alex Bishop
CCL |
Famous for its 12th Century
cathedral, 13th Century castle, 15th Century
university and, of course, golf!
Like many university towns, its character changes
from term-time to vacation. In summer, St Andrews
bustles as a holiday resort but it has a more
subdued academic centre in term time.
Golf has been popular here since the 15th century.
In its early days there were calls for the playing
of the game to be restricted as it was claimed to
be adversely affecting church attendance and
archery practice! |
Although Mary Queen of Scots enjoyed the
occasional game, it was her son, James VI who made
the game popular south of the border. The Society
of St Andrews Golfers was formed in 1754 and from
the early 1800s, the popularity of the sport grew,
as did the popularity of St Andrews. By the end of
the 19th century, additional local courses were
being constructed to meet the demand. Major
tournaments now make the town extremely popular as
a tourist destination.
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The early growth of St
Andrews was as a religious centre associated
with St Andrew (now Patron Saint of Scotland).
One story claims that St
Rule was told by an angel to carry relics of
St Andrew to "the ends of the earth". He was
shipwrecked on the coast of Scotland and the
community, which became established at the
place where he came ashore, was later called
St Andrews. Whether or not the story is true,
it is certainly a fact that relics, supposedly
of St Andrew, were placed in a chapel here.
The chapel was replaced in
1160 by
St Andrews Cathedral, to which pilgrims
travelled to view the relics. St Andrews
became the religious capital of Scotland and,
although now in ruins, the Cathedral's obvious
magnificence cannot fail to impress. St Rule’s
Tower, also on the site, is part of the first
Augustinian church built in the early 12th
century. Now in the care of
Historic Scotland.
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The Bishops and
Archbishops of St Andrews were very powerful
and they built a castle in the early 1200s.
Many religious reformers were imprisoned there
and Cardinal Beaton burned one, George Wishart,
at the stake. His initials in the pavement in
front of the castle mark the spot of his
gruesome death.
In revenge, a group of protestants in the
guise of stonemasons, entered the castle and
murdered Cardinal Beaton in 1546, displaying
his body to the crowd from the castle walls.
They held the castle for over a year during
which time the "authorities" laid siege. |
Visitors can explore a mine
and counter-mine tunnelled during the siege which
ended when the garrison eventually surrendered to
the French fleet. The protestants, including John
Knox, were taken prisoner to France.
In addition to the castle itself, there is a
Visitor Centre with a fascinating exhibition of
the history of the castle and cathedral. Shop
features local products made in Fife. Open all
year.
Historic Scotland.
St Andrews University was
founded in 1410 by Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St
Andrews and tutor to James I. It was the first
university in Scotland and third in Great Britain,
the others being Oxford and Cambridge. Its
fortunes have fluctuated but the university
prospers today with a student population of over
4000. During the summer vacation, some of the
halls of residence offer accommodation to
tourists. For further details see their
website.
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St Andrews
Museum in Kilburn Park explores the towns
heritage from early times to the 20th century. In
the Kaleidoscope Gallery there is a changing
programme of temporary exhibitions on a wide
variety of topics. The Activity Centre hosts
lectures and activities for children throughout
the year. The Museum café serves light meals,
teas, coffees and home baking.
No visit to Fife would be complete without also
visiting the
British Golf Museum. Whether or not
you are a golfer, you will find the museum full
of surprising facts and striking feats from 500
years of golf history. There are displays and
exhibits which trace the history of the game,
both in Britain and abroad, from the Middle Ages
to the present day.
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West Sands, St. Andrews -
Photo:
Graham Ellis
CCL |
At nearby Troywood visitors
can now explore
Scotland's
Secret Bunker, the country’s best kept secret for over 40 years!
Hidden beneath a Scottish farmhouse is a tunnel
leading to the bunker. 24,000
square feet of secret accommodation on two
levels, 100 feet underground to protect
Government staff in the event of a nuclear
attack during the Cold War.
At
St Andrews Aquarium, located at The Scores, you can view numerous
marine
species like seals, sharks, piranha, crabs,
lobsters, shrimps, rays, seahorses, sea dragons,
sea urchins and octopus. Over 30 tanks where you
can see and, in some cases, touch the specimens
- a real hands-on experience. One of
Fife's top attractions.
St Andrews Botanic Garden, The Canongate, has
been described as a 'hidden gem' of Scotland. The
garden is divided into sections including Water
Garden, Heath Garden, Peat Garden, Rock Garden,
Herbaceous, China and Chile Borders. The garden
has about 8000 species of ferns, herbaceous
plants, shrubs and trees, some which are native to
Scotland but most grow wild in other regions of
the world.
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