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St Andrews Castle is on the Scores, a short
walk from St Andrews Town centre, built from
the 1180s for the Bishops of St Andrews
Cathedral.
The Castle can be visited all year with an
entrance fee. There is a Museum and Shop at the
Castle. Postcode: KY16 9AR
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St Andrews
Attractions List with Maps
Click On Map for area Attractions
Camping & Touring Parks in
area
The image top is looking down North Castle
Street towards St Andrews Castle.
1180s - the earliest parts of St Andrews
Castle were built to secure the area and
protect the wealthy Bishops from St
Andrews Cathedral close by.
1296 - 1300s - during the Wars of Scottish Independence, the
Castle changed hands many times between the
Scots and English.
1303 - forces of the mighty English King
Edward I took
control of the Castle. Edward I is the brutal
King in the film Braveheart.
1314 - the Scottish victory for King Robert
the Bruce at the Battle
of Bannockburn led to the Castle being
taken by the Scots then repaired.
1330s - the English captured the Castle from
the forces of David II, son
of Robert the Bruce, during the Second War of
Scottish Independence.
1336 - forces of David II led by Andrew Moray
re-captured the Castle after a Siege lasting
three weeks.
1337 - the Scots destroyed the Castle so it
could not be used by the English again.
1400 - the Castle was re-built for Walter
Trail, Bishop of St Andrews Cathedral.
1401 - Bishop Trail died in the Castle.
1410 - James I of Scotland stayed at the
Castle while being educated by Bishop Henry
Wardlaw, founder of St Andrews University,
oldest University in Scotland.
1445 - James III of
Scotland was born at St Andrews Castle. James
III was an unpopular King, killed at the
Battle of
Sauchieburn by Stirling, by the forces of
his son who became James IV.
1400s - a number of Prominent People of the
time were imprisoned by the Bishops in the
Castle dungeon.
1500s early - the Reformation reached
Scotland with many people converting from
Catholic to Protestant.
1546 - Archbishop of St Andrews, David
Beaton, imprisoned the Protestant preacher
George Wishart in the
Castle’s Tower. Wishart was
Burnt at the Stake outside the Castle on March
1st. Brick lettering outside the Castle marks
where he died.
1546 May - Wisharts friends gained entry to
the Castle then Murdered Cardinal Beaton. They
then set up the first Protestant Congregation
in Scotland.
Catholics then tried unsuccessfully to Mine
through Solid Rock to get into the Castle. This
Mine can be viewed today.
1547 - the Protestant reformer John Knox
entered the Castle During an Armistice to serve
as the Castles Preacher.
A French Fleet was brought in to help take
the Castle back from the Protestants with a six
hour Bombardment. Many Protestant Prisoners
were taken to France.
The Castle was then re-built for Archbishop
John Hamilton.
1560 - the Reformation in Scotland made
Catholic Worship in Scotland illegal, leading
to St Andrews Cathedral being abandoned with
some of its stone taken for buildings around
the Town.
1689 - the Office of the Bishop was
Abolished by William of Orange, leading to St
Andrews Castle falling into Ruin.
1600s late - much of the Stonework from the
Castle was used to repair St Andrews Pier.
Today - the Castle is a ruin maintained by
Historic Environment Scotland as a Tourist
Attraction. There is a Visitor Centre Museum,
Gift Shop, Dungeon, Towers, and two underground
Mines to Explore.
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