Entrance to St Andrews Castle

St Andrews Castle theFun Kingdom of Fife

St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland Angus, Perth, Fife

Recommendation added: 04/06/2006 19:00
By: HighHopes (YSUK rating +40)

HighHopes has been thanked 6 times for this contribution

"St Andrews is a sleepy little town in the Eastern portion of the Kingdom of Fife. Probably best known as the home of golf and for it's ancient University, St Andrews also sports the ruins of a once magnificent castle.

Located mere steps away from the Town Centre, the ruins of castle are easily accessible to even in wheelchairs or difficulty walking. As you enter the entrance to the castle you find a good size gift shop offering a wide range of items relating to both the castle and Scotland in general. Most items are of a historical nature however you can find toys and a pleasant souvenier for the loved ones as well as postcards.

Just inside the front door you will see the receiption desk / tills to your right. At the reception desk you can purchase either a single ticket for the castle a joint ticket for the castle and the ruined cathedral as well as purchase a token that can be used for access to St Rule's (or Regulus') Tower on the grounds of the cathedral. Full colour guidebooks are also available for purchase and are worth the money for history buffs.

Admission is reasonable and you have the choice of a joint ticket for the castle and the cathedral for a small extra charge. Admission is free for members of Historic Scotland.

The building that the gift shop and reception desk is in also houses a vistor center dedicated to bringing the fascinating history of St Andrews Castle alive. It tells the rich history of the castle. How it housed the Bishops and Archbishops from the nearby Cathedral (once the largest in Scotland). And of the churchs deep involvement with the Church of Scotland for 500 years, John Knox and the Reformation. Though the museum is small it is vivid audio and visual display that will entertain and educate children as well as adults.

The exit from the museum leads you to the walkway to the castle itself. Though the castle is in ruins the front facade is in reasonable condition and gives you a feel of how large the castle would have been when it was fully intact. There is a bridge that crosses the dry moat where you enter the castle via a grand arched entry way.

The site was originally fortifications from the 1100's and became the residence for Bishops and Archbishops for the Cathedral in the 1200's. The 'New Castle' completed around 1400 at the hand of Bishop Trail was ordered due to the extensive damage done to the castle during the wars of independence.

The castle was easily defended due to the steep cliffs (and sea) on the North and Eastern sides, a thick curtain wall and ditches on the landward sides. Originally there were five square towers that housed the bishops and their guests, today the ruins of only the range at the front entrance and at the northwest corner remain along with the ruins of the granary along the eastern wall of the castle.

The castle still sports its bottle dungeon in the northwest sea tower of the courtyard. The dungeon was hewn from solid rock in the latter half of the 14th century. It has a drop of 24 feet (now safely covered by a grate) where prisoners were left to rot and be forgotten about.

Interestingly the castle also retains a mine and countermine that were rediscovered in 1879. Entrance to the mine is via the counter-mine from within the castle grounds. The entrance is very narrow and while safe it's not recommended for anyone with claustrophobic tendencies. Appearantly in 1546 the Earl of Arran ordered a mine be dug beneath the castle in the hopes of literally underming the foundations in order to collapse the entire structure. However, the defenders knew about the attack and dug their own smaller counter mine from the other direction guided by the sound of the pick axes from the attackers. Although they went off in the wrong direction a few times eventually they met up with the attackers and the mines become one tunnel. However this success was quickly 'undermined' with the arrival and attack from the French fleet in 1547 which reduced the castle to pretty much what you see today.

The ruins of the castle on the ground level are suitable for anyone including wheelchair users. However, those with bad knees or a fear of heights may wish to forego climbing up the range at the entrance or in the remains of the north tower and granary.

The grounds have several benchs placed strategically to allow for maximum sea views, some of them quite stunning. You'll want to bring your camera with you as both the castle and the sea will provide you with plenty of great holiday snaps to make you the envy of your friends.

Despite the fact that little of the original castle remains the castle itself is a fascinating look into the history of St Andrews and the history of the church in Scotland. It has appeal to historians, theologians and castle explorers alike. It is so easy to access that it would be a shame to overlook it during a trip to St Andrews. Even my 4 year old children enjoyed it and I think you will too.

Websites:
General Information
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites _detail.htm?propertyID=PL_248

Historic Scotland Membership
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/member.htm


3D Tour of Castle and Historical Facts
http://www.saint-andrews.co.uk/Tour/castct.htm

Castle Timeline
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usfeatures/timeli ne/to1600.html

Accessibility Information
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites _detail.htm?propertyID=PL_248

Telephone
01334 477196

2006 Admission prices
Adult £4.50 Child £2.00 Concessions £3.50

Joint ticket with St Andrews Cathedral availabe
Adult £6.00 Child £2.70 Concessions £4.50

Opening times Open all year.

Summer
1 April to 30 September
Monday to Sunday 9.30am to 6.30pm

Winter
1 October to 31 March
Monday to Sunday 9.30am to 4.30pm

Last tickets sold at 6pm (4pm in winter)

Christmas and New Year Period
Closed 25th, 26th December and 1st, 2nd January.

Access by Train: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/download_tt.htm

Acce ss by Bus: http://www.traveline.org.uk/index.htm

Access by Car: http://www.multimap.com/

Access by Cycle: http://www.sustrans.co.uk/default.asp?sPOIName=HS173&resplace x=-2.789357&resplacey=56.342055"