St Andrews Castle, St Andrews, Scotland
Palace, Fortress, Prison - St Andrews Castle
St Andrews Castle in St Andrews, Scotland is now a ruin located on a spectacular rocky outcrop overlooking the sea.
The castle, along with the nearby ruined cathedral are important places in the history of Scotland in general and its bloody Reformation in particular.
History
The history of the castle goes back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries when Bishop Roger of St Andrews first built his episcopal palace on the site. It was used as such until the bloody years of the Scottish Reformation in the 1550s and 1560s.
Before that the castle/palace changed hands during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296-1346) between the English and Scots.
In 1336-1337, the Scots destroyed the fortress to prevent the English from utilizing it as a base. Bishop Walter Trail rebuilt the castle in 1400 and it is his work we largely see today.
In the 15th century the castle was occasionally home to Scottish monarchs, James I of Scotland (1406-1437) spent time here as a youth and was also used as a prison. Visitors can still see the infamous bottle dungeon cut from solid rock. This was later used to hold victims of religious persecution during the Scottish Reformation.
As tensions grew between Scottish Catholics and Protestants (who Catholics viewed as allies of the Protestant English), several prominent Protestants ended up in the castle's dismal jails.
Cardinal David Beaton, the Archbishop of St Andrews, imprisoned and then burnt at the stake the Protestant preacher, George Wishart (1513-1546) on Castle Green. This was the literal spark for a bloody train of events. Only three months later friends of Wishart killed David Beaton and took over the castle. They, along with John Knox, were, in turn, besieged by James Hamilton, Regent of Scotland during the minority of Mary, Queen of Scots. Beaton's naked body was hung from one the towers after his murder and his body "preserved" in a barrel of salt walter for seven months.
Mines and counter-mines, which can still be seen today and are a highlight of any visit, were dug during the terrible siege of 1546-47. Finally with the arrival of a French fleet and artillery the castle was destroyed and the Protestants imprisoned with Knox condemned to a French galley.
By the mid-17th century the castle was in a state of ruin. The Great Hall collapsed and fell into the sea in 1801.
Nowadays the main structures still standing are the Hamilton Façade (built after 1547), the Kitchen Tower, parts of the walls, the bottle dungeon, and also the mines.
Access & Hours
St Andrews Castle
The Scores
St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AR
Tel: 01334 477 196
www: historicenvironment.scot
1 April to 30 September
Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm
Last entry 4.30 pm
1 October to 31 March
Daily, 10 am to 4 pm
Last entry 3.30 pm.
Closed - 25 to 27 December; 1 to 3 January.
See the above website for admission fees. (Presently adult admission (16-64 years) is £9.50.
On entrance the interesting visitors centre explains the history of the castle and the more mundane daily events that took place here.
Getting To St Andrews
The nearest railway station to St Andrews is Leuchars, which is about 10 km from the town. It is on the Edinburgh to Dundee line and Edinburgh to Aberdeen line from Edinburgh Waverley Station and Edinburgh Haymarket. There are bus and taxi connections from Leuchars to St Andrews.
The Caledonian Sleeper service runs from London Euston to Leuchars overnight six days a week, Sunday to Friday.
The Highland route runs between Fort William, Inverness or Aberdeen and London Euston. The Highland trains join at Edinburgh Waverley and continue to London. The Aberdeen to Edinburgh Waverley Highland train stops at Stonehaven, Montrose, Arbroath, Carnoustie, Dundee, Leuchars (for St Andrews), Kirkcaldy, Inverkeithing and Edinburgh Waverley.
Dundee Station on South Union Street has trains to London King's Cross Station in London from Aberdeen via Edinburgh, Newcastle and York Station in York as well as more local ScotRail trains to Glasgow Queen Street in Glasgow via Perth and Stirling as well as connections south to Edinburgh Waverley Station in Edinburgh.
There are frequent buses to and from Dundee from St Andrews via Leuchars. The #99, #99A, the #99B, the #99C, and #99D all connect the two cities. Leuchars to St Andrews by bus takes about 15 minutes.
There are Stagecoach buses running between St Andrews and Edinburgh. These are the X58, X59 and X60 services (about two hours). Stagecoach also operates the X24, X26 and X27 buses to Glasgow (about two and a half hours).
Edinburgh Airport is the nearest airport with direct shuttle buses to St Andrews. There are also trains to Leuchars from Edinburgh Gateway Station a short tram ride or bus (100 Airlink) ride from Edinburgh Airport.
Accommodation
If you wish to stay in St Andrews try the Fairmont St Andrews, with five stars and views of the St Andrews Bay. The hotel also boasts a spa and a pool.
Also recommended are the budget Ardgowan Hotel located in a Georgian terrace and Rusacks St Andrews, overlooking the Old Course.
Old Course Hotel St Andrews overlooks West Sands Beach and the Links Golf Course. Enjoy its Kohler Waters Spa, which offers luxury spa treatments, a hydrotherapy pool, experience showers and cold plunge pool.
Hotel Du Vin St Andrews on The Scores offers a French-style bistro and bar.
Kinnettles Hotel & Spa offers an à la carte restaurant amid five-star luxury.
See a listing of hotels in St Andrews.
St Andrews Attractions
St Andrews Castle, St Andrews Cathedral, St Andrews aquarium, St Andrews Museum, the Wardlaw Museum, Holy Trinity Church, the R&A World Golf Museum and, of course, St Andrews University are major attractions in the city.
Many visitors, especially from the USA, also come to play the Old Course, the home of golf.
Scotland Related
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
Hermaness National Nature Reserve
Map of St Andrews & Dundee
Hotels in Scotland
Book Hotels in Edinburgh - Booking.com
Find Hotels in Glasgow - Booking.com
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Hotels in The Shetlands - Booking.com