Celebrating St Andrews

The town of St Andrews in Fife has much to celebrate. Its cathedral was the largest church built in Scotland and the bishops, and later archbishops, played an important role in ruling medieval Scotland. Scotland’s first university was established in St Andrews, which began teaching religious studies in 1410. The university has been the choice for many famous people and is also responsible for many of the town’s traditions. The town was a favourite of Mary, Queen of Scots, who owned a home in St Andrews. In 1663, astrologer and mathematician James Gregory published a design for the first reflecting telescope in St Andrews, and in 1673 Gregory laid the first Meridian line, which earned St Andrews the title ‘the place where time began’. St Andrews is best known, however, as the home of golf. The game had been played and developed in the town for centuries before the formation of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1754, which is considered the headquarters of golf. The town is also famous for its long, sandy beaches, which attracted filmmakers who shot the opening sequence of Chariots of Fire on the West Sands. The Lammas market, the oldest surviving medieval market, is still held in the centre of town, and the annual St Andrew’s Day celebrations, the patron saint of Scotland from whom the town takes its name, are a major attraction. Yet not all of the big names from St Andrews are human: Hamish McHamish, a large ginger cat, became one of the best-known residents and is remembered by a statue in the town centre.Celebrating St Andrews chronicles the proud heritage of the town, its important moments and what draws so many to this fascinating place today. Illustrated throughout, this fascinating book offers a marvellous and refreshingly positive insight into St Andrews’ rich history.