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St Andrews
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St Andrews is a town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife, Scotland. According to the recent population estimate (2006), the town has a population of 16,596, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife. It is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle. It is home to Scotland's oldest university, the University of St Andrews.
From mediaeval times until the Reformation, St Andrews was the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland: its bishop being the primus of the Scottish church.
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St Andrews is a town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife, Scotland. According to the recent population estimate (2006), the town has a population of 16,596, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife. It is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle. It is home to Scotland's oldest university, the University of St Andrews.
From mediaeval times until the Reformation, St Andrews was the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland: its bishop being the primus of the Scottish church. Today, its historic cathedral lies in ruins.
The town of St Andrews is known worldwide as the "home of golf". This is in part because the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, founded in 1754, exercises legislative authority over the game worldwide (except in the United States and Mexico), and also because the famous links (acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf'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, and other martyrs of the Reformation epoch, stands at the west end of the Scores on a cliff overlooking the sea.
History
The first inhabitants who settled on the estuary fringes of the river Tay and Eden during the mesolithic (middle stone age) coming from the plaines in Northern Europe between 10,000 to 5,000BC. This was followed by the nomandic people who settled around the modern town around 4,500BC as farmers cleaning the area of woodland and building monuments. The name of the settlement was called Cennrigmonaid (Old Irish for "head of the King's monad") for the memory of Túathalán, abbot of "Cennrígmonaid" around 746AD. In 906AD, the town became the seat of the bishop of Alba, with the boundaries being extended to include land between the River Forth and River Tweed. In the 12th century, the settlement became known as Kilrymont - the latin translation of cennirigmonaid.
In 1559, the town fell into decay after the violent Scottish Reformation and the English Civil War losing the status of ecclestrial capital of Scotland. Under the authorisation of the bishop of St Andrews, the town was made a burgh of barony in 1614. Royal Burgh was then granted as a charter by King James VI in 1620. Daniel Defoe says that when he saw it one-sixth of its houses were ruinous and the sea had so encroached on the harbour that it was never likely to be restored; but the slight improvement in trade and public spirit which Bishop Pococke seemed to detect in 1760 continued throughout the 19th century.
Still, by the late-19th century the town was dilapidated. The masters at the university complained of the conditions and contemplated moving either to Perth or to Dumfries. In the 1960s the town was revitalised by growth in the university and the growing popularity of golf.
Governance
In 1304, the first parliament took place in the town, when King Edward I came to be received by Bishop William de Lamberton as overlordship of Scotland. As many as 130 landowners turned up to witness the event ranging from Sir John of Combo to Sir William Murray of Fort. In the early days of the union of 1707, St Andrews elected to send one member of parliament along with Cupar, Perth, Dundee and Forfar. The first elected parliament was introduced on 17 November 1713 as St Andrews Burgh, which merged with Anstruther, the result of a reform bill in 1832. The act of reformation seats in 1855, would find one MP sitting for St Andrews Burgh (which would include Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester, Crail, Cupar, Kilrenny and Pittemweem}. Prior to 1975 the town was governed by a council, provost and baillies. In 1975, St Andrews came under Fife Regional Council and North East Fife District Council. This was abolished when a single-tier authority was introduced in 1996 as Fife Council based in Glenrothes. The St Andrews area supports three multi-member wards with eleven councillors sitting on the committee of Fife Council. The former royal burgh of St Andrews also retains its own Community Council.
Westminster and Holyrood
St Andrews is within the North East Fife (Scottish Parliament constituency), the Mid Scotland and Fife (Scottish Parliament electoral region) of the Scottish Parliament (at Holyrood) and the North East Fife (UK Parliament constituency) (at Westminster).
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 (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 is currently held by Iain Smith for the Liberal Democrats.
The North-East Fife UK (or Westminster) constituency elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the first past the post system. The seat has held by Sir Menzies Campbell for the Liberal Democrats since the formation of this seat in 1987.
Demography
St Andrews compared according to UK Census 2001 | St Andrews | Fife | Scotland |
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| Total population | 14,209 | 349,429 | 5,062,011 |
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| Foreign born | 11.60% | 1.18% | 1.10% |
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| Over 75 years old | 10.51% | 7.46% | 7.09% |
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| Unemployed | 1.94% | 3.97% | 4.0% |
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According to the 2001 census, St Andrews had had a total population of 14,209. The population of St Andrews has since increased to around 16,529 in 2006. 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 96.78% 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.
Weather and Climate
St Andrews has a temperate maritime climate, which is relatively mild despite its northerly latitude. Winters are not as cold as one might expect, considering that Moscow and Labrador in Newfoundland lie on the same latitude. Daytime temperatures can fall below freezing and average around 4 °C. Night-time frosts are common, however snowfall is more rare. The lowest winter temperature recorded in St Andrews is -14 °C. Summer temperatures are normally moderate, with daily upper maxima rarely exceeding 20 °C.
Being on the east coast of Scotland, it is often subject to the fog, or “haar” which rolls off the North Sea and can linger for several days at a time.
Landmarks
The ruins of the Cathedral of St Andrew, at one time Scotland's largest building, originated in the priory of Canons Regular founded by Bishop Robert (1122 - 1159). The Cathedral was re-built in 1160 by Bishop Arnold, the successor of Bishop Robert, on a site adjacent to St Rule's Tower. It was not completed and consecrated until 1318 in the reign of Robert the Bruce (1306-29). The Cathedral and its associated conventual buildings were sacked and gradually became ruinous after the Reformation in 1559 as stone from the cathedral was used for local buildings. At the end of the 17th century, some of the priory buildings remained entire and considerable remains of others existed, but nearly all traces have now disappeared. Apart from most of the east and west gables, the south nave wall, and parts of the south transept, the Cathedral itself has been reduced to its foundations by stone robbing. The most important single piece is the St Andrews Sarcophagus, a masterpiece of 8th century Pictish sculpture. St Rule's tower - part of St Rule's church - dates from the 11th century, predating the development of the cathedral. The tower was built to hold the relics of St Andrew. The building was retained to allow worship to continue uninterrupted during the building of its much larger successor. Today the tower commands an admirable view of the town, harbour, sea, and surrounding countryside.
The picturesque ruins of St Andrews Castle are situated on a cliff-top, maintained by a man-made ditch (similiar to Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy) to the north of the town. The castle was first erected around 1200 as the home of the bishops and later archbishops for use as a palace, prison and fortress, bearing the eccelstrial ties with the town. Since several demolitions and re-built have taken shape, the majority of the castle only now dates back to between 1549 and 1571. The work was done by Archbishop John Hamilton in a renaissance style
retaining the use of a palace rather than a fortress.
In the centre, St Andrews was once bonded by three 'gaits' - North, South and Church - accompied by cross wynds which extended to the west of the Cathedral to the respective ports. West Port on South Street is the only surviving 'gait' left in the town and the only exampt example in Scotland. The towers were influenced by those seen on Netherbow Port in Edinburgh. The central archway which displays semi-octangonal 'rownds' and 'battling' is supported by corrbelling and neatly moudled passageways. Side arches and relief panels were added to the gait, during the reconstruction between 1843 and 1845. In South Street stands the elegant late medieval ruin of the north transept of the chapel of the Dominican Friary, founded by Bishop Wishart in 1274, the only part of the House of the Blackfriars to remain above ground. All traces of the Observantine Franciscan Friary founded about 1450 by Bishop Kennedy have disappeared, except the well and a small section of boundary wall.
Holy Trinity (also known as the Holy Trinity Parish Church or "town kirk") is the most historic church in St Andrews. The church was initially built on land, close to the south-east gable of the Cathedral, around 1144 by bishop Robert. The church was dedicated in 1234 by Bishop David de Bernham and then moved to a new site on the north side of South Street between 1410 and 1412 by bishop Warlock. This was one of Scotland's largest parish churches, with a round-pillared nave and chancel, and a north-west tower crowned by a stone spire. Largely rebuilt in the 18th century, the church was restored to a (more elaborately decorated) approximation of its medieval appearance in the early 20th century by MacGregor Chambers. Only the tower (with stair jab); part of the west wall and the internal pillars survive from the original building. In this church John Knox first preached in public towards the end of June in 1547 and would then return to give an inflammatory sermon on 4 June 1559] which led to the stripping of both the cathedral and ecclestrial status.
At the other end of South Street is Queen Mary's house, located at number four - considered to be one of the finest examples of an sixteenth-century town house in Scotland - dating from around 1525 by the architect Alan Meldrum, Vicar of Leuchars on the former site of a priory. The house was named after and believed to have been used as a main residence for Mary Queen of Scots whenever she came to St Andrews. Although, the building has been extensively altered and extended, much of the original structure survives with the cellars in particular remaining intact. These extensions were a west wing from around 1545 and an
east wing dating from around 1580 (reconstructed around 1782), both designed by David Orme, Chamberlain to Lord James. Opposite the house is an excellent example of a 16th century stone building at number 1-7 South Street, particularly with the corner tower at number 1 The Roundel.
Education
Schools
Modern St Andrews is home to one secondary school, one private school and three primary schools. Of these, Greyfriars RC Primary School serves the local roman catholic population.
Madras College is the only 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. 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 within other parts of the United Kingdom to be taught there, often lodging with masters or residents in the town. Nowadays, the school is located on two campuses - Kilyrmont and South Street (incorporating the original 1833 building). Pupils in S1-S3 are served by Kilyrmont and S4-S6 by South Street. Famous pupils of the school have included the singer KT Tunstall; vice-president of the University of Sydney, Gavin Brown; MSP, journalist and broadcaster Ted Brocklebank and the members of the Scottish indie band Dogs die in hot cars. There are plans to build a new Madras College to serve all pupils and bring all facilities into single building.
The private school known as St Leonards School 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. The school is now spread across thirty acres between Penns Road and Kinnesburn. A private school for boys was also set up in 1833 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
The University of St Andrews, the oldest in Scotland, dates back to 1410. A charter for the university was issued by Bishop Hendry Wardlaw between 1411 and 1412. This was followed by Pope Benedict VIII grating 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. An adjacent building known as the pengagoy was opended in 1430 by Bishop Hendry Wardlaw. Both buildings were replaced - the pengagoy in 1538 by St Mary's College and St John's by the university library and public college in 1612. The two original colleges to be associated with the university were St Salvador in 1450 by Bishop James Kennedy and St Leonard in 1512 by archbishop Alexander Stewart and prior James Hepburn. In the 16th century, the majority of leading figures in the Scottish church and state would receive their education in the town. The end of the Scottish Reformation, the university adopted a new educational system. When the act of union was made in 1707, the future of the university was put in doubt as the economic shift drove towards more substantial growth in the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. During the 18th century, the university suffered "acute depression" as a result and only began to recover from the strong leadership of principals such as Sir David Brewster and Sir John Donaldson. An affliation began with the Queen's College, Dundee in 1881 to provide a school of medicine. Later, the university would expand between 1886 and 1915.
With the separation of Queen's College, Dundee which gained university status in 1967, the boundaries of the university became firmly rooted to the town again.
Sport and Recreation
St Andrews is known widely as the "home of golf" and has six golf courses - Old, New, Jubilee, Eden, Strathtyrum and Balgove -
surrounding the western approaches of the town. A seventh golf course was added in 2007 at Kinell Braes, designed by David McLay Kidd. The Old Course is the oldest golf course in the world, purchased by the town council in 1894. The course which dates back to medieval times, also hosts the The Open, having last staged the event in 2005.
Jack Nicklaus who won the open twice at St Andrews (1970 and 1978) has said: "if a golfer is going to be remembered, he must win at St Andrews".
Other leisure facilities in the town include a junior football team;
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. The University of St Andrews have expressed plans to provide a new multi-million pound leisure centre to replace East Sands.
See also
Bibliography
External links
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