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Item ID Title Description Type Subject Added Updated
660 Adeline Herbert Campbell Adeline Herbert Campbell (1887-1965) attended the University of St Andrews in 1905 until 1912 when she graduated with a degree in medicine. She lived in University Hall, then an all-female residence, with her seven sisters. Following the outbreak of World War One, Campbell served as a nurse in Serbia, earning various medals, including the Serbian Red Cross and the Order of Sava, for her services. After moving back to Britain, she worked as a medical practitioner and earned her doctorate. She died in the Scottish Highlands after a lifetime dedicated to medical services. If you want to learn more about Adeline Herbert Campbell, visit here. Site Thursday 20th of October 2022 10:59:05 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:18:38 AM
659 Agnes Blackadder Dr Agnes Blackadder was a Scottish medical doctor born on December 4th 1875 in Dundee. The daughter of Robert Blackadder, a Dundee based architect and engineer, she spent most of her childhood in Dundee, living in West Ferry and attending the High School of Dundee. Dr. Blackadder became the first female graduate of the University of St Andrews on the March 29th 1895. She was able to graduate ahead of time because she compressed her studies by taking subjects concurrently. Dr. Blackadder legacy at St Andrews is reflected by the university naming a hall of residence after her. If you want to learn more about Agnes Blackadder, visit here. Site Thursday 20th of October 2022 10:55:38 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:18:52 AM
672 Agnes Blackadder Agnes Blackadder was a Scottish medical doctor born on December 4th 1875 in Dundee. She became the first female graduate in 1895, where she compressed her studies by taking subjects concurrently, which allowed her to graduate ahead of her cohort. She then went on to receive her medical degree in 1901 in Glasgow. She gained prominence by becoming a consultant dermatologist in London, where she was one of the first women to be appointed consultant in a hospital not exclusively for women. She also worked as a radiographer in the Scottish Women’s Hospital during WWI, where she pioneered the use of X Ray technology to detect and manage the effects of gas gangrene. One of the more interesting studies she was involved in was when she conducted an inquiry into the inhumane treatment of female suffragists who were going through hunger strikes whilst in prison. Along with 3 distinguished doctors, she published medical papers on this subject. A student poll that was part of the University of St Andrews 600th centenary celebrations revealed Dr. Blackadder to be the most popular choice in renaming a new hall of residence. Subsequently, Agnes Blackadder Hall was named after her when it was renamed in 2012. If you want to learn more about Agnes Blackadder, visit here. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:22:50 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:48:33 PM
677 Agnes Blackadder Hall Agnes Blackadder was a medical doctor born on December 4th 1875 in Dundee. She became the first female graduate in 1895, where she compressed her studies by taking subjects concurrently, which allowed her to graduate ahead of her cohort. She then went on to receive her medical degree in 1901 in Glasgow. She gained prominence by becoming a consultant dermatologist in London, where she was one of the first women to be appointed consultant in a hospital not exclusively for women. She also worked as a radiographer in the Scottish Women’s Hospital during WWI, where she pioneered the use of X Ray technology to detect and manage the effects of gas gangrene. One of the more interesting studies she was involved in was when she conducted an inquiry into the inhumane treatment of female suffragists who were going through hunger strikes whilst in prison. Along with 3 distinguished doctors, she published medical papers on this subject. A student poll that was part of the University of St Andrews 600th centenary celebrations revealed Dr. Blackadder to be the most popular choice in renaming a new hall of residence. Subsequently, Agnes Blackadder Hall was named after her when it was renamed in 2012. If you want to learn more about Agnes Blackadder, visit here. Site Sunday 06th of November 2022 08:42:29 AM Sunday 06th of November 2022 08:42:29 AM
685 Agnes Blackadder Hall Agnes Blackadder (4 December 1875 – 12 May 1964) was a Scottish medical doctor and the first female student to earn a degree from the University of St Andrews. Blackadder had an exceptional career in Medicine and she is most known for being one of the first women in Scotland to follow an academic career on the subject, but also during WW1, while she was working as a radiographer, was one of the first to use X Rays as a way to identify the effects of gas gangrene, as well as a way to study and understand the properties of this substance further. Site Medicine Saturday 12th of November 2022 03:09:32 PM Saturday 12th of November 2022 03:09:32 PM
224 Ardgowan Hotel The Ardgowan was designed by the famous Scottish architect, George Rae, and was built in 1847. Site Physics Saturday 29th of August 2020 01:33:00 PM Sunday 20th of June 2021 03:36:16 PM
420 Ardgowan Hotel Ardgowan Hotel served as an accommodation to many soldiers during World War II, including Józef Kozacki, a portable mine detector inventor. Kozacki was a signals officer of the First Polish Army which stationed in St. Andrews. After a mine explosion on the beach in Arboath killed two Polish soldiers, Kosacki was determined to use his experience and engineering education to prevent such accidents in the future. By exploiting the radiowaves and objects interactions to detect metal objects underground, he created prototype of a mine detector that successfully detected metal objects as small as coins previously scattered around West Sands. The portable mine detector was used in combat for the first time in 1942 and since then around five hundred detectors were issued to the army as they doubled the speed at which mined sands could be cleared, accelerating the speed from 100 to 200 meters an hour. Kosacki has never patented his invention, instead he handed it to the British army free of charge for which he received a congratulations letter from King George VI. Site Physics Friday 18th of June 2021 12:00:26 PM Friday 23rd of July 2021 08:38:33 PM
644 Ardgowan Hotel The Polish army’s headquarters during World War 2 in St Andrews was located at Eden Court on The Scores and at the Ardgowan Hotel in Playfair Terrace, and it was there that Lieutenant Józef Stainisław Kosacki was given a laboratory, workshop and an aide (Sargeant Andrzej Gabros) with whom to tackle the challenge of designing a landmine detector by the British Army. If you want to learn more about Józef Kosacki, visit here. Site Physics Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:42:26 PM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:17:25 AM
678 Bell Pettigrew Museum Bell Pettigrew was educated at the University of Glasgow and later the University of Edinburgh to continue his study of medicine. He was an outstanding scholar of anatomy and appointed Croonian lecturer at the Royal Society of London in 1860. In 1875 he was appointed Chandos professor of medicine and anatomy and dean of the medical faculty in the University of St Andrews. In 1877 he was elected by the universities of Glasgow and St Andrews to represent them on the General Medical Council. St Andrews University’s Bute Medical Building has been home to the Bell Pettigrew Museum since 1912. This is a museum of natural history displaying fossils, skeletons, taxidermy and spirit collections, taking visitors on a journey through the animal kingdom. If you want to learn more about James Bell Pettigrew, visit here. Site Sunday 06th of November 2022 08:49:05 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:31:23 PM
492 Bell Rock Lighthouse By the cliffside gate of the Cathedral, there are two stone sights embedded in the wall, with the western one pointing to the Bell Rock Lighthouse. Depending on the weather conditions, the lighthouse may be visible as a small white dot on the horizon. The Bell Rock lighthouse is the world’s oldest working sea-washed lighthouse (built out at sea, often on a rock or reef) and was built from 1807 – 1811 by Robert Stevenson and John Rennie. The Bell Rock, also known as the Inchcape Rock, is a treacherous sunken reef that was one of the chief impediments to the free navigation of that coast and is the subject of a poem named Inchcape Rock by Robert Southey, which tells a story about the consequences of ‘Sir Ralph the Rover’ removing a warning bell from the rock. To see some further information on the lighthouse, click here. Site Natural Philosophy Tuesday 06th of July 2021 11:30:11 PM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 07:44:58 PM
214 Benjamin Franklin Plaque Site Natural Philosophy Monday 17th of August 2020 06:37:52 PM Wednesday 16th of September 2020 10:03:03 AM
185 Benjamin Franklin Plaque In 1759, during a visit to the city, the great American scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) was awarded an Honorary Degree in Law from the University of St Andrews and was given the Freedom of the Burgh. At this time Franklin was resident in London as the representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly. The honorary degree was awarded to him in recognition of his work on electricity. In 1748 he had invented a new type of electric battery using sheets of glass sandwiched between lead plates. Hi most famous experiment was conducted in 1752, when he showed that lightening was electricity by flying a kite in a thunderstorm, by collecting some of the charge from the clouds in a battery connected to the kite. This was a very dangerous experiment, as Franklin could have been struck by lightning, although he was careful to stand on a sheet of material that did not conduct electricity to protect himself while flying the kite. In 2002 a plaque was unveiled on North Street to commemorate Franklin's visit to St Andrews. Site Natural Philosophy Wednesday 16th of October 2019 03:58:12 PM Saturday 29th of August 2020 01:44:48 PM
468 Blackfriars Chapel The so-called Blackfriars refers to the Dominican friars because of the black cappa/cloak they wear over their white habits. Back in 1464, a Dominican Friary was established here with initially only two friars. In 1514, William Elphinstone left the Dominicans his bequest to build a new friary and maintain three extra friars. In 1525, this Blackfriars Chapel was built as an addition to the church. As there was no enough space on the friary site, the chapel was located next to the street. Regrettably, the protestant reformers violently expelled the friars and destroyed the Blackfriars Chapel in 1559, leaving only the ruins ever since then. Site Natural History Friday 02nd of July 2021 07:55:33 AM Friday 02nd of July 2021 08:52:18 AM
408 Bute Medical School The Bute Medical School is a stunning establishment that evidences the great history of Medicine at St Andrews. Even though earliest evidence of the University Granting M.Ds stretches back to 1721, the Building was only founded in 1897. Designed by the architects Gillespie & Scott, construction was completed in 1899. Site Medicine Thursday 10th of June 2021 02:50:19 PM Wednesday 30th of June 2021 07:15:24 AM
211 Charles Lapworth's House Site Geology Monday 17th of August 2020 06:21:37 PM Wednesday 16th of September 2020 10:03:51 AM
262 College Hall Site Tuesday 17th of November 2020 12:04:01 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:49:34 PM
358 Cottage Kitchen Site Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:28:40 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:41:23 PM
212 D'arcy Wentworth Thompson's House Site Natural History Monday 17th of August 2020 06:27:56 PM Sunday 11th of July 2021 03:16:45 PM
664 David Brewster's House David Brewster (11 December 1781 – 10 February 1868) was a British scientist and inventor. While he was in St Andrews, he contributed a lot to the field of photography. One of his most important achievements was the development of the “lenticular stereoscope”, with which someone could practically experience a photograph in 3D. The user could see two identical images through two different lenses and thus got the illusion of a 3D space. Site Photography Friday 04th of November 2022 12:47:37 PM Friday 04th of November 2022 12:47:37 PM
213 David Brewster's House Symmetricity in reflections of light has an intrinsic attraction to human thinking. Which is why the Kaleidoscope is one of the most natural inventions we could use to introduce Sir David Brewster. A Scotsman, clergyman, philosopher, a historian and a prolific inventor; Sir Brewster showed particular interest in Optics and the polarisation of light; earning him the title of “The Father of experimental Optics” (Whewell, n.d.) from his peers. Brewster’s angle is one his most simple yet practical discoveries that lets us calculate the angle at which light must strike a substance for maximum polarization. It is a cornerstone in the development of modern fibre optics, lasers and material engineering. As a historian Sir Brewster developed an obsession with Sir Isaac Newton which led to him writing not one , but two separate biographies on Newton.First in 1831 he published the Life of Sir Isaac Newton. Then later in 1855 ,a much more more complete “Memoirs of the Life, Writings and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton”. Site Natural Philosophy Monday 17th of August 2020 06:31:55 PM Friday 30th of July 2021 01:08:42 PM
456 David Brewster's House David Brewster's House, Principal of St Andrews 1837-1859. Best known as the inventor of the kaleidoscope and an early developer of photography, Brewster (1781-1868) made major contributions to the field of optics, including the connection between refractive index and polarising angle, biaxial crystals, and the production of double refraction by irregular heating. He described the dioptric lens system, generally attributed to Fresnel, in 1812, and was largely responsible in getting it adopted by British lighthouses. His house, was subsequently occupied by the mineralogist M. Forster Heddle (1828-1897), and is now part of St Leonard's School. Site Natural Philosophy, Photography Wednesday 30th of June 2021 09:17:00 AM Friday 30th of July 2021 01:43:25 PM
671 Dr Margaret Fairlie Margaret Fairlie was born in 1891 in Angus. She matriculated at University College, Dundee and the University of St Andrews School, where she graduated and obtained her medical degree in 1920. Following this, she joined the staff at the Dundee Royal Infirmary, eventually becoming head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1936. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this appointment displeased at least one male colleague. She then fought for 4 years to become a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, eventually winning her battle in 1940 to become Scotland’s first female professor. She remained the only female professor until her retirement in 1956. Fairlie developed a keen interest in the clinical use of radium, after visiting the Marie Curie Foundation in 1926. She became a pioneer of the use of radium for medical purposes in Scotland, where she employed it in the treatment of malignant gynaecological diseases. She was also heavily involved in the development of vaginal smear cytology for cancer diagnosis. If you want to learn more about Dr Margaret Fairlie, visit here. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:14:29 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:47:39 PM
658 Dr Margaret Fairlie Margaret Fairlie (1891-1963) was born on West Balmirmer Farm, Angus. She studied medicine at the University of St Andrews and University College Dundee, graduating in 1915. Dr Fairlie began working at Dundee Royal Infirmary and teaching in the medical school in 1920. Dr Fairlie eventually became Head of Clinical Gynaecology in Dundee and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in St Andrews, despite opposition from the University Board. Adverse in the ability to overcome obstacles as a woman in a male-dominated field, she became the first female professor in Scotland. Later, Margaret Fairlie went on to drive ambulances for the Red Cross hospital in Royaumont, France, during WWI and became a pioneer of commercial flight when she travelled to Johannesburg via Comet in 1952. If you want to learn more about Margaret Fairlie, visit here. Site Thursday 20th of October 2022 10:44:07 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:16:56 AM
266 Eastern Cemetery St Andrews Site Tuesday 17th of November 2020 11:46:45 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 03:50:21 PM
668 Elizabeth Garrett Elizabeth Garrett was a physician born on June 9th 1836 in Whitechapel, London. During the mid 1850’s, she became quite involved with the Langham Place circle, a group of middle class women associated with the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women, placing her at the core of the emerging mid-Victorian women’s movement. Garrett overcame initial disapproval by her father to obtain a medical education, although she faced a raft of difficulties along the way. In 1862, she became the first woman to matriculate at the University of St Andrews, with the support of some of the medical professors and Vice Chancellor John Tulloch of St Mary’s. However, the senatus prohibited her entrance to the university. However, she persisted in her goal to become a doctor, and eventually passed the exams from the Society of Apothecaries, becoming the first woman in Britain qualified by this organisation. If you want to learn more about Elizabeth Garrett, visit here. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 08:55:49 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:48:04 PM
670 Ettie Stewart Steele Ettie Stewart Steele was a chemist born on October 5th 1890 in Dunfermline. She matriculated at the University of St Andrews in 1908, where she received an M.A. in 1912, a B.Sc in 1914 and then a PhD in 1919. She was the first female candidate to submit a thesis for her PhD in 1919, graduating with Dr Grace Cumming Leitch as the first female PhD holders from the University of St Andrews in 1920. Her thesis was called The Structure of Mannitol, which was completed under the supervision of Dr James Irvine, a well-renowned chemist and the principal of the University of St Andrews from 1921 until his death in 1952. After getting her PhD, Stewart Steele became the first female lecturer in Chemistry in 1920. The School of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews named a reading room after Dr. Steele, which is currently located in the Purdie Building in North Haugh. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:08:36 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:47:16 PM
676 Frances Helen Melville Frances Helen Melville was a promoter of higher education for women in Scotland and suffragist, born on October 11th 1873. She became one of the first women to matriculate at the University of Edinburgh in 1892, after the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889 was passed, permitting women to matriculate and graduate from the Scottish universities. She graduated with first class honours in a M.A degree in philosophy in 1897. During her time at Edinburgh University, she was president of the Women’s Representative Committee, at a time when the university lacked a female voice. In 1900, she was appointed warden of University Hall at the University of St Andrews succeeding Louisa Lumsden. During her time at St Andrews, she obtained a degree in the bachelor of divinity, which was awarded to her in 1910. This gave her the distinction of becoming the first woman to receive this degree at a Scottish university. She was also responsible for setting up the St Andrews Association of University Women in 1909. Following her work in St Andrews, she was appointed mistress of Queen Margaret College at Glasgow University. During her time here, the university oversaw a gradual integration of female students into mixed university classes, rather than receiving their education separate from male students. She received her LLD from Glasgow University in 1927, becoming the first Scottish female graduate to receive this distinction. Site Natural Philosophy Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:48:37 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:49:18 PM
183 Gatty Marine Laboratory Gatty Marine Laboratory(which is also the home of Scottish Oceans Institute) was named after the zoologist Charles Henry Gatty, who paid for the original timber building with its permanent stone replacement in 1892. Though the stone building was officially opened in 1896, it was seriously burnt in 1913 and was no longer used until the end of WW2. In 1945, Gatty Marine Laboratory received an operating budget of £50(around £1,780 under the modern currency) to be used as a field station by zoologists and botanists based in the Bute Medical Building in the town center. In the following years, it has been led by Dr. James Munro Dodd, then Dr. Adrian Horridge, together with Prof. Michael Laverack. With the richness of fauna and flora, Gatty Marine Laboratory is no doubt one of the best choices for research purposes. Ever since 1987, it has become part of the research institute that belongs to the School of Biology. All kinds of interdisciplinary researches have been carried out here: behavior, ecology, physiology, population biology, functional genomics of marine organisms, etc. A few years later, it received the highest number of research grants in marine biology of any UK department. By the late 1990s, its scale was expanded and the majority of the buildings became occupied by the Natural Environment Research Council. Site Mathematics Wednesday 16th of October 2019 03:54:14 PM Tuesday 29th of June 2021 12:49:49 PM
651 General Władysław Sikorski (Kinburn Park) General Władysław Sikorski was the Polish prime minister in exile and commander-in-chief of its armed forces during WW2. Sikorski led the reorganisation of Polish forces after the fall of France and oversaw the construction of costal defences along Scotland’s east coast. He was greatly fond of the town and the University, receiving an honorary degree from the institution and gifting it a collection of rare historic Polish coins. He died in mysterious circumstances after a plane crash off Gibraltar in 1943, and has a stone statue at Kinburn Park in St Andrews. Site Monday 17th of October 2022 01:21:21 PM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:18:26 AM
196 George Martine's house This house is where George Martine (the elder, as well as the younger) used to live in St Andrews. George Martine the elder(1635-1712), was a historian of St Andrews. He was known for the diocesan history Reliquiæ divi Andreæ. In June 1688, he married Catherine and had several children, George Martine the younger (1700-1741), was one of them. Martine the younger was a physician of St Andrews. He was educated at the University of St Andrews when he was thirteen. Later, he went to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1720 and then went to the University of Leyden, where he graduated in 1725. He also made a huge contribution to natural philosophy by estimating the temperature of absolute zero to around -240° C. Unfortunately, he died of malarial fever when he was on the Caribbean Sea. Site Natural Philosophy Wednesday 26th of February 2020 12:44:15 PM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 05:59:39 PM
579 Gregory's Pillar Around 1670, the Regius Professor of Mathematics at St Andrews, James Gregory, had this pillar erected on a hill about a mile south of the University library. There he had his telescope and a very early example of a pendulum clock. He lined his telescope up with the pillar and in 1674 he cooperated with colleagues in Paris to make simultaneous observations of an eclipse of the moon and was able to work out the longitude for the first time. For more information, see here. Site Mathematics Friday 09th of July 2021 12:07:11 PM Wednesday 14th of July 2021 11:52:03 PM
663 Gregory's Pillar This is the pillar named after James Gregory, installed around 1670. James Gregory was a scottish astronomer, mathematician and Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of St Andrews. Gregory's contribution in his field is astonishing. For Astronomy, he developed a telescope which uses the properties of mirrors instead of lenses, and he pioneered the photometric method for calculating the distance to the stars, formalised later by Newton. For Mathematics, he seems to have developed calculus methods and the bionomial theorem way before Newton and Leibniz did. In addition, he had deduced several trigonometric series using the method that is now known as Taylor Series. Site Astronomy, Mathematics Friday 04th of November 2022 12:23:33 PM Friday 04th of November 2022 12:26:41 PM
215 Harbour Barometer A FitzRoy barometer with storm glass on the wall of 35 North Street, St Andrews. Site Natural Philosophy Monday 17th of August 2020 06:44:43 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 11:13:26 AM
491 Harbour Barometer The Harbour barometer, which can be found in the wall of 35 North Street, contains an aneroid and a Fitzroy barometer with storm glass, but is missing its thermometer. It was installed after Admiral Robert Fitzroy (acting as the first head of the Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade) instigated and oversaw the distribution of dozens of barometers to fishing ports around the British Isles following violent storms in 1859, to enable weather predictions before fleets set out to try and help ensure their safety. Storm barometers were glass tubes filled with liquid that would crystallise in different patterns, and one accompanied Fitzroy on the HMS Beagle, on which Fitzroy was Charles Darwin’s commanding officer. To see more information on the barometer, click here. Site Chemistry, Natural Philosophy Tuesday 06th of July 2021 11:20:09 PM Saturday 31st of July 2021 09:41:50 PM
689 Harbour Barometer This barometer, which is located on 35 North Street, St Andrews, is one of the many barometers whose installation was provoked and supervised by Admiral Robert Fitzroy. After multiple severe storms in 1859, Fitzroy decided to take action and place those barometers at ports throughout Britain, in order to facilitate the prediction of similar storms and other dangerous weather conditions, to make sure that ships would begin their sailing safely and to protect the lives of their crew. The harbour barometer contains 2 different types of barometers, an aneroid (works without the use of ay liquid), and a Fitzroy barometer. Site Physics Wednesday 16th of November 2022 11:04:56 AM Wednesday 16th of November 2022 11:04:56 AM
471 Harbour and Pier The history of St Andrews Harbour and Pier starts from the 14th century and is inseparably linked with the coastal town it serves. At first, it was nothing more than the unimproved shores of the Kinness Burn without any built harbour-works. During medieval times and through to the 16th century, the harbour witnessed a significant development with the construction of an extensive pier, bulwark to seaward and quays to accommodate shipping and serve merchants and many tourists at the time, whilst the town was developing as an influential academic, ecclesiastical and trading centre. Later with further development, the harbour has become home to a small, yet growing flotilla of pleasure craft and a small fishing fleet that in its heyday comprised over 50 vessels. The Harbour and Pier is in all aspects an exemplification of the vernacular tradition in Scottish harbour works. As one of the most iconic sites of St Andrews, student traditions of the University such as the Gaudie and Pier Walk take place at the pier annually. For more information on the history of Harbour and Pier, see here. Site Botany, Natural History, Photography Monday 05th of July 2021 07:00:05 PM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 10:45:31 PM
399 International Education Institute Site Monday 26th of April 2021 05:16:30 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 05:16:30 PM
680 Irvine Building Sir James Colquhoun Irvine was born on May 9th 1877 in Glasgow. At 18 years old, he matriculated and attended the University of St Andrews. While he was there, he worked under Professor Thomas Purdie; himself a notable Scottish chemist who is widely credited with founding the School of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews. Sir James Irvine was notably the Principal of St Andrews for over three decades – from 1920 to 1952. During his tenure as president, he oversaw an extensive modernisation of the university, earning him the moniker “St Andrews’ Second Founder”. In his early days as principal, the University of St Andrews was suffering from a noticeable lack of suitable buildings and equipment designed for the pursuit of scientific inquiry. Not to mention the relatively small number of students and precarious financial position. It is down to Irvine’s dedication to St Andrews and his hard work that the university is where it is today. If you want to learn more about James Irvine, visit here. Site Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:34:34 PM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:38:25 PM
507 J&G Innes ("The Citizen Shop") (Abolished) J&G Innes (a.k.a. “The Citizen Shop”) is a bookshop in St Andrews with a rich history spanning over 3 centuries. It was bought by the Innes firm in 1927 after John Innes, founder of the St Andrews Citizen newspaper, purchased the printing and publishing business of the Tullis family in 1879. The Tullis family also had deep ties with the University having, among many other things, made donations to Mathematics prizes. Prior to its purchase, the building once housed Baillie Bell, co-worker of Alexander Wilson (one of the first type-founders in Scotland, and recognized in astronomy for his observatory work on sunspots) and John Baine (credited by some to have owned the Philadelphia type-foundry in which the dollar-sign [$] was first cast in the 1790’s). This bookshop was the first in Scotland to use a printing process involving amalgams of noble metals – the newest printing innovation of the early 1900's. To see this site's information, along with further reading click here. Site Mathematics, Physics Thursday 08th of July 2021 04:15:06 AM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 08:15:50 PM
595 J&G Innes (The Citizen Shop) J&G Innes (a.k.a. “The Citizen Shop”) is a bookshop in St Andrews with a rich history spanning over 3 centuries. It was bought by the Innes firm in 1927 after John Innes, founder of the St Andrews Citizen newspaper, purchased the printing and publishing business of the Tullis family in 1879. The Tullis family also had deep ties with the University having, among many other things, made donations to Mathematics prizes. Prior to its purchase, the building once housed Baillie Bell, co-worker of Alexander Wilson (one of the first type-founders in Scotland, and recognized in astronomy for his observatory work on sunspots) and John Baine (credited by some to have owned the Philadelphia type-foundry in which the dollar-sign [$] was first cast in the 1790’s). This bookshop was the first in Scotland to use a printing process involving amalgams of noble metals – the newest printing innovation of the early 1900's. To see this site's information, along with further reading resources click here. Site Mathematics, Physics Sunday 11th of July 2021 03:14:07 AM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 08:24:03 PM
681 Jack Cole Building Alfred Jack Cole was a Computer Scientist and Mathematician born in 1925. He is credited as one of the main drivers behind the establishment of Computer Science at the University of St Andrews. Cole studied Mathematics at University College London, graduating with first class honours. His involvement in computers began during a summer vacation consultancy at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. The computer used at the facility at the time was an ACE (Automatic Computing Engine), where Alan Turing was an active member of the design team behind the development of the ACE. In 1965, Dr. Cole was appointed to a senior lectureship as Director of the Computing Laboratory in the University of St Andrews. At the time, the computing service staff totalled only 3 members. Dr. Cole himself, an operator and a computer/punch operator. If you want to learn more about Alfred Jack Cole, visit here. Site Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:37:38 PM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:38:43 PM
216 James David Forbes' House Site Natural Philosophy Tuesday 25th of August 2020 09:31:02 PM Wednesday 16th of September 2020 10:02:29 AM
686 James David Forbes' House James David Forbes was a Scottish physicist and Principal of the University of St Andrews for 9 years. His most significant contributions to science relate to Physics and Meteorology, for which he won several prizes and medals. He is well known for his scientific articles on heat and glaciers and other meteorology topics. In 1842, he designed the first seismometer, one of the most useful technological inventions to humanity. Site Physics Saturday 12th of November 2022 03:49:06 PM Saturday 12th of November 2022 03:49:06 PM
181 James Gregory’s Meridian Line James Gregory (1638–75) was the first of a great dynasty of Scottish mathematicians and natural philosophers. He became Regius Professor of Mathematics at the University of St Andrews in 1668. In 1672 he mathematically established a meridian line, a line circling the earth from pole to pole along which the time is the same, passing through St Andrews. Currently all time in the world is calculated using a line passing through Royal Observatory at Greenwich. Noon on this line is known as 12.00 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). As St Andrews is further west than Greenwich, the time at Gregory's meridian is 12 minutes behind GMT. To mark his meridian, Gregory carved it into the floor of his laboratory, now part of the King James Library at the University of St Andrews. In 2014 a brass meridian line and plaque were installed in the pavement of South Street outside the Library to commemorate Gregory's achievement. Site Natural Philosophy Wednesday 16th of October 2019 03:48:57 PM Thursday 17th of October 2019 03:06:01 PM
218 James Gregory's meridian line This meridian runs several degrees west of the Greenwich meridian, making it around 12 minutes behind GMT. The brass meridian on South Street represents the line which Gregory initially carved into the floor of his laboratory (now King James' Library). Site Natural Philosophy Tuesday 25th of August 2020 09:35:35 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 11:16:50 AM
217 James Gregory's meridian line Site Tuesday 25th of August 2020 09:31:46 PM Wednesday 16th of September 2020 10:02:19 AM
470 John Adamson's House A blue plaque on site, in memory of Dr John Adamson and his contribution to photography and public health, marks his life here from 1848 to 1865. This house became the main post office of St Andrews from 1907, and in 2012 was renovated into a local restaurant: The Adamson, named after him. Dr John Adamson (1809-1870), educated at the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh, was a physician and a pioneer to early photography. Through his close friend Sir David Brewster, he became heavily involved with studying the calotype, an early photographic process introduced by William Henry Fox Talbot. He made significant contribution by managing to “control a process that remained remarkably difficult” and was credited with taking the first calotype portrait in Scotland in 1840-1842. He also educated his younger brother Robert Adamson about the calotype technique, who later became a pioneering photographer. To see more information on Dr John Adamson, click here. Site Chemistry, Photography Monday 05th of July 2021 06:28:20 PM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 07:40:37 PM
665 John Napier - St Salvator's Quad John Napier (1550 - 1617 ) was a Scottish mathematician, physicist and astronomer. In the age of 13, he begun his studies at the Saint Salvator's college of the University of St Andrews. He contributed a lot to Mathematics, by developing the concept of logarithms, a very useful tool for modern Applied Mathematics, and by inventing a calculating device, called Napier's bones. Moreover, in 1616 his book Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio was published, which included his theorems for Spherical Geometry, called Napier's Rules of Circular Parts. Napier is also famous for establishing the use of the dot (.) to distinct the integer from the decimal part of decimal numbers. Site Mathematics Friday 04th of November 2022 01:09:40 PM Friday 04th of November 2022 01:09:40 PM
666 Jozef Kosacki - Ardgowan Hotel Józef Stanisław Kosacki (21 April 1909–26 April 1990) was a Polish professor, engineer, and inventor, and he served the Polish Army as an officer during WW2. He is most famous for inventing his mine detector. While he was staying in St Andrews, at the Ardgowan Hotel, he was testing his developing mine detector at the West Sands beach. Sadly, although he received a letter of gratitude from King George VI, he never received any significant recognition for this invention, nor he made any financial profit out of it. Site Physics Friday 04th of November 2022 02:06:09 PM Friday 04th of November 2022 02:06:09 PM
638 Katharine Whitehorn Site Natural Philosophy Saturday 08th of October 2022 10:29:44 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:04:50 AM
639 Katharine Whitehorn (Whitehorn Hall) Katherine Whitehorn, CBE, was a renowned journalist and author. In 1982, she was elected as rector of the University of St Andrews – the first female to hold this role in any Scottish university. The University opened Whitehorn Hall as an all female wing to University Hall in 2018 as part of an effort to honour inspiring female figures in the University. Whitehorn was the first woman to have a column in The Observer and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2014 for her services to journalism. Site Saturday 08th of October 2022 10:35:49 AM Saturday 08th of October 2022 10:35:49 AM
675 Katherine Whitehorn Katherine Whitehorn was a British journalist and columnist born on March 2nd 1928. She graduated from Newham College in Cambridge, where she worked as a columnist for the Observer from 1960 to 1996. She became known for her wit, humour and observance of the lives of women. She was elected unopposed by students at the University of St Andrews in 1982 to become the first woman to be elected Rector of a Scottish University, as well as St Andrews’ first female Lord Rector. She held this position for 3 years, stepping down in 1985. Her pioneering role in the history of the University of St Andrews is reflected by the university naming a new hall of residence after her, when Whitehorn Hall opened its doors in 2018. She was appointed CBE in the 2014 New Year Honours for her services to journalism. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:41:58 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:50:09 PM
425 Lade Braes Walk The 1.5 miles long walk runs from Little Carron to Madras College and follows a route of an old mill, bringing water to the Priory of St Andrews founded in 1140. For most of its life, it was open to St Andrews citizens who used it for cleaning, washing and possibly drinking. Although majority of the lade is now underground, it was all uncovered until 1800s when it was partially covered during Madras College construction. The upper Lade Braes also had trees planted at the end of 1800s by John McIntosh and John Milne. The lade, which is an artificial channel constructed to carry a current of water to drive mills’ wheels, was used by numerous mills which belonged to the Priory of St Andrews: • Craig Mill, the oldest in St Andrews and demolished by 1776; • Shore Mill and Abbey Mill at the St Andrews Harbour; • New Mill and Plash Mill between Maynard road and Hepburn Gardens; • Law Mill at the Duck Pond at Lawmill Gardens; • Denbrae Mills outside St Andrews. Site Physics Sunday 20th of June 2021 04:14:19 PM Wednesday 07th of July 2021 08:11:58 PM
645 Lieutenant Józef Stainisław Kosacki (West Sands) In September 1941 the British Army launched a competition to develop a landmine detector. Hearing of this competition, and of a fatal accident on a beach in nearby Arbroath where a Polish Army patrol was killed by a landmine, Kosacki set out to design such a detector. Kosacki used his previous experience designing a device capable of detecting unexploded ordnance to help him in his challenge. He and his assistant produced prototypes, which they tested on West Sands. Only 3 months after he started, Kosacki’s design was submitted to the British Army for consideration. The design weighed only 14kg and was operated by a single person; it triumphed in the competition, beating six other British designs. The device was used extensively throughout the rest of the war and saved countless lives. If you want to learn more about Józef Kosacki, visit here. Site Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:47:10 PM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:17:38 AM
673 Louisa Lumsden Louisa Lumsden was a Scottish pioneer of female education born on December 31st 1849 in Aberdeen. She was one of the first students in Girton College, Cambridge, and was the leader of the ‘Girton Five’ or ‘Girton Pioneers’. She was the founding headmistress of St Leonards School in St Andrews, which was the first school for girls in Scotland modelled after English public schools. She was extremely enthusiastic at the location of the school, which she thought provided an opportunity to attend a first-rate school without having to travel to England. Lumsden returned to St Andrews in 1895 as founder and first warden of University Hall, the first purpose-built hall of residence for women in Scotland. She had a vision of a ‘Scottish Girton’ which reflected her time at Cambridge, where a woman would have a better chance of meeting her full potential in university by residing with other students who had the same goals of ‘self development’ However, her idea was met with fierce opposition, particularly from the likes of the principal of the university. She eventually resigned 1900 after numerous conflicts with the university committee. Lumsden was eventually awarded with an LLD by the University of St Andrews in 1911, which she interpreted as amends for the way the university had treated her in the past. She was also made a Dame of the British Empire for her services to education in 1925. If you want to learn more about Louisa Lumsden, visit here. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:26:42 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:50:25 PM
669 Marion Gilchrist Marion Gilchrist was a physician born on February 5th 1864 in Lanarkshire. She matriculated as an arts student from Queen Margeret College for the Higher Education of Women in Glasgow, with aims to become a teacher. During her time at Queen Margeret College, she also began to take exams leading to a LLA (Lady Literate in Arts) which was awarded by the University of St Andrews. From 1888 to 1890, she passed in Physiology, French, Botany, Logic, Metaphysics, English, Education and Natural Philosophy, allowing her to gain her LLA in late 1890 which allowed her to enrol in the new medical school at Queen Margeret College. Her progress throughout higher education was rapid, and she became the first woman to gain a medical degree in Scotland as well as the first female graduate of the university. After obtaining her medical degree, she became a general practitioner in Glasgow specialising in eye diseases. She later also worked in the electrical department at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, becoming head of department in Radiography - the first woman to achieve such a position in a major Scottish teaching hospital. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:01:46 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:48:20 PM
646 Martyrs' Monument Martyrs’ Monument was built to commemorate four protestants who were executed during the 16th Century. These were Patrick Hamilton, Henry Forrest, George Wishart, and Walter Mill. Patrick Hamilton was executed in 1528 outside St Salvator's Chapel for sharing the teachings of Martin Luther, a German Priest who was a pioneer in the Protestant Reformation. Henry Forrest was executed in approximately 1533 for owning a copy of the New Testament in English, as well as believing that Hamilton died a martyr and saying that his protestant teachings were true. The third martyr, George Wishart, was executed in 1546 due to his teachings across Scotland that criticised Catholicism. The last martyr commemorated at the monument is Walter Mill, who believed that Catholic clergy should be able to get married. He was subsequently executed outside Dean's Court in 1558 for these viewpoints. Site Physics Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:49:59 PM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:18:03 AM
396 North Haugh North Haugh house the School of Physics and Astronomy and the School of Mathematics and Statistics. Site Monday 26th of April 2021 11:33:22 AM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:44:11 PM
354 North Point Best known as the café that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, frequented during their time as students at the University, Northpoint Café was established in 2001. At the time of Northpoint’s establishment, William and Kate were just beginning their time in St Andrews and over time, became regulars to the café, often getting cake and coffee after their lectures. As a result, rumour quickly spread that Northpoint was the location of this famed couple’s first date. Accordingly, following the couple’s highly-publicized royal wedding in 2011, Northpoint saw a boom in tourism, with eager visitors flocking from around the world to see where the fairytale romance began. Today, Northpoint remains one of the most beloved cafes in St Andrews, amongst students and tourists alike. Site Philosophy Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:18:31 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:41:05 PM
654 Old Course Due to the Old Course having a large, flat, coastal location, it was an attractive staging ground for an airborne assault. To counter against this, mounds and trenches were dug along the fairways to prevent planes and gliders from landing safely. However, these new ‘cross-hazards’ were strategically positioned to allow for the continued play of golf (The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews had friends in high places). If you want to learn more about the Old Course, visit here. Site Thursday 20th of October 2022 10:13:59 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:17:50 AM
382 Old Union Building Site Tuesday 20th of April 2021 11:25:16 AM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 01:02:00 PM
419 Orrery This orrery, a model which shows how planets revolve around the sun, is on display at the School of Physics and Astronomy. It was built by Benjamin Cole of London between 1748 and 1760. The four inner most planets are mounted on plates and connected to a mechanism which allows them to rotate about the sun at their correct rates. Jupiter and Saturn are attached to arms extending outside the main structure which allow them to rotate freely. The base of the orrery has 12 windows instead of wooden panes so that the interior mechanism to be viewed. Twelve beams support a ring which encircles the inner planets and is engraved with the signs of the Zodiac and the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The ring serves as the base for a model of part of the celestial sphere. The elevated and angled rings forming the ‘dome’ represent the ‘Artic’ Circle, the Tropic of Cancer, and the Equator. Site Astronomy, Natural Philosophy Friday 18th of June 2021 08:58:25 AM Friday 09th of July 2021 01:10:32 AM
417 Preservation Trust Museum Located at 12 North Street, the St. Andrews Heritage Museum & Garden contains glimpses of life in St. Andrews across the centuries. Though the museum house dates from the 1600s, the site was first built on around 1140. The ground floor of the museum features tools and products from industries and shops in St. Andrews including a shop counter reconstructed to resemble Aikman and Terras (the local grocer’s from 1837-1981), a display on dentistry, and a replica chemist shop. On the first floor are temporary exhibitions on a wide range of topics relating to St. Andrews and the surrounding area. The gardens in back provide a quiet and beautiful space to enjoy. Please check the museum website for opening hours. St. Andrews Heritage Museum & Garden is operated by the St. Andrews Preservation Trust, an organization founded in 1937 and dedicated to preserving the town’s architectural heritage and historic character. Site Natural History Friday 18th of June 2021 08:37:56 AM Thursday 01st of July 2021 06:47:28 PM
357 Pret a manger Site Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:27:46 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:41:19 PM
682 Purdie Building Thomas Purdie was born on January 27th 1843 in Biggar, South Lanarkshire. He spent seven years of his youth in South America, where he the abundance of flora and fauna captured his attention, arousing a spirit of inquiry that remained for the rest of his life. He returned to Scotland later in life. It was a conversation with Thomas Henry Huxley that convinced him to pursue a scientific education. Purdie was elected to the vacant chair at St Andrews in 1884. At the time, the university could only offer cramped accommodation, imperfect equipment and the small matter that Chemistry had no official place in the curriculum. These circumstances did not faze Thomas Purdie whatsoever, as he worked to found the School of Chemistry in the university. His work at St Andrews was influential, and he is described as someone who devoted himself to developing the characters of his students much more than converting them into chemists. He was also instrumental in founding a “research school” in St Andrews, when he presented to the University a fully equipped research laboratory. If you want to learn more about Thomas Purdie, visit here. Site Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:41:08 PM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:41:53 PM
195 Robert Chambers's house Robert Chambers (1802–71) was the author of one of the most popular and controversial books of the 19th century, Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, published in 1844. In it Chambers presented his own theory of evolution, fifteen years before Darwin's Origin of Species(1859). His theory was different from Darwin's in important respects, but played an significant role in paving the way for the ready popular acceptance of Darwin's theory of evolution by means of natural selection. Chambers was a wealthy publisher, and, with his brother William, one of the founders of the famous Chambers publishing house in Edinburgh. The book was so controversial that it was published anonymously to protect the author's reputation, and Chambers came to St Andrews in 1841 with his family to write it in secret. The house where he wrote Vestiges has sadly since been demolished. but a house he had built and lived in during his retirement from 1863 until his death in 1871 can still be seen on the Scores. Site Natural History Wednesday 26th of February 2020 12:15:13 PM Monday 17th of August 2020 11:29:59 AM
653 Robert FitzRoy Vice-Admiral Robert Fitzroy was born on the 5th of July 1805 near Bury St Edmunds, South-East England. FitzRoy joined the Royal Naval Academy at 12 years old and commissioned as an officer a year later. In 1826, he was appointed meteorologist aboard the survey vessel HMS Beagle, exploring the coasts of southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago at the tip southernmost of South America. FitzRoy was put in command of the Beagle’s second voyage, charting South America and the Galapagos islands. He was accompanied on this 5-year expedition by Charles Darwin, and during this time Darwin would begin to develop his theory of evolution. After his retirement from the Navy and his election to the Royal Society, FitzRoy was appointed as head of what today we know as the Meteorological Office. He compiled shipping forecasts by having live weather data telegraphed to him from ports and ships around the country. Key to this was the nationwide issuing of barometers, which are devices used to measure air pressure. An example of a FitzRoy barometer is in St Andrews. If you want to learn more about Robert FitzRoy, visit here. Site Physics Thursday 20th of October 2022 10:05:57 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:15:54 AM
508 Royal & Ancient Clubhouse The building took eleven months to complete, and it was finished by 22 June 1854. it was established to host the Royal & Ancient Golf Club which was founded in 1754 by 22 noblemen and gentlemen and was regarded as a governing authority responsible for the international rules of golf. To see more information, click here. Site Philosophy Thursday 08th of July 2021 04:41:54 AM Tuesday 20th of July 2021 06:52:20 PM
351 School of Classics Built in 1895 by famous Scottish architect Sir Robert Rowen Anderson, Swallowgate has since been the home to the School of Classics. Inside the building, you have the classics library, which houses St Andrew's best classics collection and is known amongst classics students for being the best place to study. The school of classics has since its foundation been the home to groundbreaking research, and many now-famous scholars such as John Burnet which you might recognize as the namesake for the hall of residence “John burnet Hall”. Today, you can find everything from historical reach to Latin language courses and public engagement projects within the School. Site Tuesday 23rd of February 2021 01:51:26 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:59:07 PM
403 School of English Site Monday 26th of April 2021 06:27:27 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:27:27 PM
641 Sergeant John Ripley VC (Crail’s Lane) Sergeant John Ripley (“Jock”) VC was born in August 1867 in Keith. After completing a roof slater apprenticeship, he moved to St Andrews. It was in St Andrews where John met Jane Laing. They married in 1895 and had a son, Alexander Laing Ripley, in 1896. Ripley took part in the Battle of Aubers Ridge, France on the 9th of May 1915. This battle was a disaster failure for the British, with 11,000 casualties sustained in a single day. The British commanders had planned to prepare the way for the oncoming troops by launching an intense artillery bombardment. However, there were not enough guns and the ones that were available were outdated and inaccurate. The bombardment failed to destroy the German defences, and the onrushing soldiers were easy targets. It was during this battle that John won the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour. A head injury sustained during this battle prevented John from returning to active service, however he continued in his role as a recruiting sergeant until he was demobilised in 1919. After this, he returned to his former civilian life as a slater and volunteer fireman. Today, a plaque can be found on the ground at Crail's Lane. Site Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:32:56 PM Friday 21st of October 2022 02:39:23 PM
498 Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson's House Sir D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson II (1860 – 1948) was a zoologist considered by some as the "father of mathematical biology". He was born in Edinburgh on May 2, 1860 and died on June 21, 1948 at his house in St Andrews. His professorship at the University College of Dundee, and then at St Andrews holds the record for the longest tenure of any academic (64 yrs.) and is unlikely to be broken due to modern employment legislation. Most consider Thompson’s greatest work to be On Growth and Form, a book in which he explores in great detail the mathematical patterns that can be found in nature. His use of Cartesian grid transformations in modelling evolutionary processes is still an area of modern research. Thompson’s influence has been wide-reaching: from inspiring the likes of Alan Turing’s morphology research to playing a key role in the development of 3D animation. To see more information on the work and impact of Sir Thompson, click here. Site Mathematics, Natural History Thursday 08th of July 2021 03:07:47 AM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 08:25:46 PM
683 Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson's House Sir D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson (1860-1948) was a biologist, zoologist, classicist, and the head of Natural History at the University of St Andrews for more than 30 years. In his more recognised book, 'On Growth and Form', he deduced that the science of life, Biology, can be described using Physics and therefore expressed in the form of mathematical equations. He was one of the first to claim that Physical Laws are affecting the characteristics of living beings. Site Natural History Saturday 12th of November 2022 02:51:54 PM Saturday 12th of November 2022 02:51:54 PM
697 Sir James Black Sir James Whyte Black was a Scottish pharmacologist, and the only graduate from the University of St Andrews that holds a Nobel prize. He was born on the 14th of June 1924 and died on the 22nd of March 2010. His exceptional research on pharmacy led him to develop 2 very famous drugs, propranolol and cimetidine, for pain and disorder management in the human heart and stomach. The University has established the "Sir James Black Chair of Medicine" title to honour him. See more https://www.curious-sta.org/sir-james-black/ Site Medicine Thursday 08th of December 2022 03:11:02 PM Thursday 08th of December 2022 03:11:02 PM
688 Sir James Irvine - Wardlaw Museum Sir James Irvine was a Scottish organic chemist and he served as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews for more than 30 years. He is well known for his discoveries concerning sugar molecules, especially his development of the sugar called Dulcitol, which was used as a treatment for serious diseases of his era, such as meningitis. He also supervised the construction of the anesthetic Novocaine, and, most importantly, he contributed a lot to our knowledge of carbohydrates, especially how we view their 'ring structures, which was a big step leading to future discoveries, such as the shape and structure of DNA chains. The Wardlaw Museum holds a significant number of samples from Irvine's personal research. Site Chemistry Saturday 12th of November 2022 04:15:48 PM Tuesday 22nd of November 2022 07:48:32 PM
661 Sir Robert Watson-Watt Sir Robert Watson-Watt was a Scottish engineer and the inventor of radar. His work led to the survival of the RAF during the Battle of Britain and to eventual German defeat. Born in Brechin, Angus, in 1892, Watson-Watt studied for a degree in engineering from University College, Dundee, then part of the University of St Andrews. After graduation, he went to work for the Meteorological Office, and in 1935 began the development of what today we refer to as radar. He successfully demonstrated its effectiveness in detecting aircraft, and soon a network of radar stations dotted the UK coastline. His invention may have been the deciding factor in Britain surviving the German onslaught by air during the Battle of Britain in 1940. If you want to learn more about Sir Robert Watson-Watt, visit here. Site Thursday 20th of October 2022 11:08:56 AM Friday 21st of October 2022 02:47:28 PM
655 Sphagnum Moss Sphagnum moss is the collective term for numerous different species of peat moss which carpet marches, heaths, and moors around the world. Sphagnum moss has been used for at least 1,000 years to help heal wounds, although it was during the First World War that scientists began to fully understand its medical potential. St Andrews processed large quantities of Sphagnum moss. The moss grew on moors near Mount Melville, and the Boy Scouts collected and delivered the moss to households in the town to be dried. The semi-dried moss was them passed on to a body of nearly 100 volunteer “pickers”, who would remove any unwanted vegetation and prepare the moss to become a medical dressing. These “pickers” were mostly women, and they initially operated out of the War Hospital Supply Depot. The Depot was formed in 1915 by a Mrs Gilbert Wilson and was based in her home, however that soon became impractical. Eventually, the University lent Upper College Hall to the Depot to produce Sphagnum dressings, while the depot also had a branch at St Leonards School. If you want to learn more about Sphagnum Moss, visit , here. Site Botany, Natural History, Photography Thursday 20th of October 2022 10:24:40 AM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:17:10 AM
469 St Andrews Botanic Gardens St Andrews Botanic Gardens, founded in 1889, is the third oldest botanic garden in Scotland. Originally built at St. Mary’s College by University of St Andrews, the gardens moved to the current site in 1962. The present Botanic Garden is an 18-acre site that contains over 8000 species of both native and exotic plants. It also includes beautiful places such as a rock garden and has accommodated local wildlife such as red squirrels. The principal founder, John Hardie Wilson (1858-1920), was an eminent botanist who specialised in disease-resistant varieties of crops and fruits, especially potatoes. His potato varieties remained influential long after his death. He received many honours for his contribution to Botany and Horticulture, including being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1891. It was alleged that it was his work of maintaining the Botanic Gardens during WW1, largely single-handedly, that contributed to his death. To see more information on the St Andrews Botanic Gardens, click here. Site Botany, Natural History, Photography Monday 05th of July 2021 06:02:51 PM Tuesday 27th of July 2021 03:19:38 PM
642 St Andrews Castle The construction of St Andrews castle took place between 1189 and 1202. Its strategic importance became clear during the Wars of Scottish Independence where it was repeatedly taken and retaken by the English and Scottish. Following the founding of the university in 1413, the town became a new centre for intellectuals. During this time, St Andrews saw many debates and legal trials as the power of the Catholic Church began to dwindle. The castle, as home to the Bishop, was a target for debate and became a prison for those convicted of heresy. During the 16th Century, the castle was the location for many key events, in particular, the Scottish Reformation. Military strategies were developed in the form of Archbishop James Beaton’s gun towers (1521-1539) to strengthen defenses as tensions heightened. These were put to use by his nephew Cardinal David Beaton (1539-1546) as he argued against relations with Protestant England. Consequently, many intellectual, Protestant preachers were unhappy and spoke out against him. This led to a group of Protestant nobles occupying the castle and murdering Cardinal Beaton. Regent Arran led a siege in response which caused extensive damage. Site Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:35:24 PM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:16:43 AM
484 St Andrews Castle This castle was the official residence of the bishop throughout the Middle Ages. This castle has a long and vast history. The castle was targeted during both the Wars of Independence with England and due to religious tension between the Protestants and Catholics. A plaque about some of the more gruelling history of the castle is shown in the photos below. Due to the outlaw of Catholicism in 1560, the castle failed to have a purpose, became abandoned and descended into ruins. Now the castle is owned by Historic Environment Scotland. You can still visit the castle and be immersed in a guided walking tour. Visiting times for this are from 10am - 4pm daily however times may vary depending on the season. Site Tuesday 06th of July 2021 11:26:57 AM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 06:47:41 PM
409 St Andrews Cathedral Although now a mere shadow of its former self, this ruined Roman Catholic cathedral, located in St Andrews, Fife, was built in 1158 as the largest church ever to been constructed in Scotland during its time. Construction went on for over a century. As the headquarters of the Scottish Medieval Catholic Church, the cathedral served as the seat of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and the Bishops and Archbishops of St Andrews. According to legend, St Regulus, also known as St Rule, is responsible for delivering St Andrew’s relics to this pocket of Scotland from Patras, Greece. Operations continued as normal until 1559 when the Scottish Reformation resulted in the abolition of Catholic Mass, which then led to the ransacking of the cathedral. Eventually, the place was subjected to abandonment in 1561, causing it to fall into a derelict state of decay. By the late 16th century, chunks of the leftover ruins were whisked away from the site following the collapse of the centre tower and the north wall. In 1826, the ruins finally received adequate attention. Today, St Andrews Cathedral is in the custody of Historic Scotland and open for endless exploration along with a museum. For more information on the Cathedral, see here. Site Philosophy Thursday 10th of June 2021 02:51:39 PM Wednesday 14th of July 2021 11:49:51 PM
459 St Andrews Cathedral (Abolished) Although now a mere shadow of its former self, this ruined Roman Catholic cathedral, located in St Andrews, Fife, was built in 1158 as the largest church ever to been constructed in Scotland during its time. Construction went on for over a century. As the headquarters of the Scottish Medieval Catholic Church, the cathedral served as the seat of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and the Bishops and Archbishops of St Andrews. According to legend, St Regulus, also known as St Rule, is responsible for delivering St Andrew’s relics to this pocket of Scotland from Patras, Greece. Operations continued as normal until 1559 when the Scottish Reformation resulted in the abolition of Catholic Mass, which then led to the ransacking of the cathedral. Eventually, the place was subjected to abandonment in 1561, causing it to fall into a derelict state of decay. By the late 16th century, chunks of the leftover ruins were whisked away from the site following the collapse of the centre tower and the north wall. In 1826, the ruins finally received adequate attention. Today, St Andrews Cathedral is in the custody of Historic Scotland and open for endless exploration along with a museum. Site Philosophy Wednesday 30th of June 2021 03:26:45 PM Friday 09th of July 2021 12:44:51 PM
433 St Andrews Library Words words words Site Philosophy Monday 28th of June 2021 09:17:26 AM Monday 28th of June 2021 09:37:14 AM
643 St Andrews War Memorial The St Andrews War Memorial is located to the West of St Andrews cathedral. It was unveiled on the 23rd of September 1922, and it commemorates fallen servicemen and civilians who died during the first and second world wars. There are 287 names inscribed upon it. It cost £2,300 when it was built, and it consists of a sandstone plinth and granite shaft, with a Celtic cross atop the shaft. A Sword of Sacrifice is imprinted on the shaft itself. It is surrounded by bronze a wall with bronze panels where the names of the fallen are inscribed. Another bronze panel is situated at the bottom of the stone base and bears an inscription of remembrance. The memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, a famed Scottish architect. He designed the Scottish National War Memorial, located in the grounds of Edinburgh Castle, and he was also responsible for the designs of countless smaller memorials across the world. He was knighted by King George V in 1911. Site Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:37:11 PM Saturday 05th of November 2022 10:16:19 AM
426 St Andrews to Leuchars Railway The St Andrews to Leuchars Railway was an independent railway built in 1852 by Sir Thomas Bouch. Railway engineering is a multi-faceted engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction and operation of all types of rail transport systems. Sir Thomas Bouch designed the railway rather cheaply, which caused issues: the sleepers of the rail-line were set up four feet apart, which is wider spacing than usual. The poor craftsmanship caused a train to derail — this was the start of the end of the railway. In 1969, the railway was finally closed due to the decrease in popularity. The end of the old railway is now the bus centre in St Andrews! Site Physics Thursday 24th of June 2021 05:16:25 PM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 05:53:10 PM
640 St Mary’s Quad In 1538, Archbishop James Beaton decided to create a new collegiate foundation – the College of St Mary, with the avowed aims of fighting heresy, encouraging divine worship, and offering prayers for the soul of James IV and his heirs. There were two occasions of crucial importance to Mary Queen of Scots which occurred when she was staying in St Andrews – she learned of the assassination of her favourite uncle, Francis Duke of Guise, in 1563. According to legend, it was in that year that she planted a hawthorn tree (now known as Queen Mary’s Hawthorn) in the Quadrangle at St Mary’s College, perhaps in memory of her late uncle. Secondly, she took the decision to marry for the second time when in St Andrews. In 1565, she set her sights upon Henry, Lord Darnley, a decision which would ultimately lead to her untimely downfall. It was when Mary was in childbirth with her son Prince James that she wrote her will, in which she wrote that her deluxe collection of Greek and Latin books were to be given to the University of St Andrews ‘to found a library’. Many of Mary’s books were ransacked after her forced abdication; however, the University finally obtained some books when her son, James VI, by then James I of England, donated them almost half a century later. Site Saturday 08th of October 2022 05:26:53 PM Friday 21st of October 2022 02:39:05 PM
504 St Mary's College While this site is arguably the oldest owned by the University (granted in 1419), the incarnation of St Mary’s College as it is known today was founded by Archbishop James Beaton between 1537 and 1539. Although St Mary’s College was streamlined specifically for the study of Theology since 1579, it has also been home to a rich history in Mathematics. Mathematician and astronomer James Gregory (1638-1675) used the upper hall of the University library (King James Library) near St Mary’s as an observatory. There, he also developed one of the earliest and most accurate meridian lines nearly 200 years prior to the Greenwich Meridian’s establishment. Gregory also designed the first practical reflecting telescope. The College has also housed theology students who were distinguished in Mathematics. These include former Regius Professor of Mathematics Robert Haldane (1772 – 1854) and John Playfair (1748 – 1819), known for his work in geology and Euclidean geometry. For further information on St Mary's College and its mathematics history see here. Site Astronomy, Geology, Mathematics Thursday 08th of July 2021 03:55:47 AM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 08:11:33 PM
490 St Salvator’s College and Chapel St Salvator’s College and Chapel were founded by Bishop James Kennedy in 1450 and the college was originally founded with both a missionary and an educational function. The Chapel was built in a late gothic architecture style with the main entrance facing out into the street so as to also serve the wider community. Amongst the many provosts of St Salvator’s College, the mathematician and theologian John Maior (Mair) is of particular note, having held the post from 1534 until his death in 1550. Maior made important contributions to the study of infinity and logic. One of his most important works is his 1506 treatise Propositum de Infinito in which he explores the possibility of infinity existing in the physical world. In 1563 John Napier (famous for his discovery of logarithms and invention of Napier’s bones amongst other things) matriculated as a student and lived in St Salvator’s College, looked after personally by the principal John Rutherford. However there is no record of him ever graduating the university. For more information on John Napier and John Maior, see here. Site Mathematics, Philosophy Tuesday 06th of July 2021 11:15:04 PM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 07:27:03 PM
219 St Salvator's College Site Mathematics Wednesday 26th of August 2020 04:11:32 PM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 01:14:31 PM
416 St. Andrews Museum Founded in 1991 and located in the Kinburn House surrounded by Kinburn Park, the St. Andrews Museum houses around 100,000 objects held by Fife Council Museums. The museum currently displays only a fraction of these objects in its A-Z exhibition of St. Andrews history and culture at the ground floor gallery. In the first floor gallery, the museum holds temporary displays. Visitors can also enjoy a cup of tea at the café adjacent to Kinburn Park. Kinburn House was designed by architect John Milne for Dr. David Buddo, a St. Andrews resident who retired from the Indian Medical Service. Dr. Buddo named the Victorian era house after the 1855 Battle of Kinburn in the Crimean War. In 1872, the Kinburn House became the home of the Provost of the burgh, John Patterson. In 1920, St. Andrews Town Council acquired the house and used it for various functions over the decades including as the Hay Flemming Library and a telephone exchange during WWII. The St. Andrews Museum hours: Monday to Saturday from 10.30am to 4pm during April through September Wednesday to Saturday 10.30am to 4pm during October to March Site Natural History Friday 18th of June 2021 08:33:49 AM Friday 09th of July 2021 01:04:06 AM
355 Starbucks Site Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:19:41 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:41:10 PM
674 Sue Innes Sue Innes was a journalist, writer, teacher and feminist campaigner born on May 4th 1948 in Dorset. In 1970, she enrolled at the University of St Andrews studying English and Philosophy. She became the editor of the student newspaper Aien within 18 months of joining the university, as well as working as a columnist for Scotland on Sunday covering a range of subjects related to women’s affairs. She was also a large part of the women’s liberation group at the University of St Andrews, who were innovative campaigners. One of the events they did involved congregating on market street, and when any man passed by they were “...stared at silently by twelve pairs of eyes, others were treated to wolf whistles, catcalls and comments on their clothes and anatomy. They were chatted up and put down. They reacted with embarrassment, anger, unease, disgust and made detours to avoid us.” This action was designed to highlight the sexist treatment women had to endure on a regular basis. This campaign gained national attention, and Sue Innes was interviewed by the BBC as a result of this. After leaving St Andrews, she became a writer focussing on the female social and political history in Scotland. She also taught at the University of Glasgow and became a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, as well as working as an official reporter in the Scottish Parliament. If you want to learn more about Sue Innes, visit here. Site Saturday 05th of November 2022 09:36:24 AM Wednesday 09th of November 2022 06:46:59 PM
356 Taste Site Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:22:28 PM Tuesday 09th of March 2021 02:41:15 PM
380 The Adamson Site Thursday 15th of April 2021 01:41:16 AM Thursday 15th of April 2021 01:41:16 AM
418 The Blue Stane The Blue Stane is a relic of Pre-Christian Pictish St. Andrews when it had some now forgotten ritual significance. It is reputed to have been the coronation stone of Kenneth MacAlpine, who united the Kingdom of the Scots and the Picts in 843 A.D. The Stane is shown on the John Geddy map of St. Andrews (1580), at which time it stood on the south side of what is now Double Dykes Road. It later stood at the City Road crossroads and was moved here in Victorian times. It may have also once stood by the West Port. Geologically, the Stane is made of Dolerite (or Whinstone), an iron and magnesium-rich igneous rock found on Drumcarrow Craig. It was probably plucked by glaciers which covered Fife during the last ice age and was then dropped nearby as a glacial erratic when the ice retreated about 14000 years ago. Site Natural History, Photography Friday 18th of June 2021 08:53:13 AM Friday 09th of July 2021 08:09:27 AM
615 The Himalayas The Himalayas are a golf putting club for women which was founded in 1860. The putting club is located along the Links. The Course is known for its nine hole and 18 hole option, to play. The Course is open to anyone above the age of three. The Club holds its competitions from April through to September on Wednesday afternoons, playing for trophies which the members are allowed to hold onto for a few minutes before being taken from them and made secure! The monthly medals are in the form of the signs of the zodiac for that month and of gold, silver and bronze. On Thursday mornings, one round shotgun-start competitions attract fields of up to sixty competitors. For more information, see here. Site Botany, Natural History, Photography Wednesday 14th of July 2021 09:50:55 PM Wednesday 21st of July 2021 06:57:41 PM
461 The Himalayas (Abolished) The Himalayas are a golf putting club for women which was founded in 1860. The putting club is located along the Links. The Course is known for its nine hole and 18 hole option, to play. The Course is open to anyone above the age of three. The Club holds its competitions from April through to September on Wednesday afternoons, playing for trophies which the members are allowed to hold onto for a few minutes before being taken from them and made secure! The monthly medals are in the form of the signs of the zodiac for that month and of gold, silver and bronze. On Thursday mornings, one round shotgun-start competitions attract fields of up to sixty competitors. For more information, see here. Site Wednesday 30th of June 2021 03:41:38 PM Wednesday 14th of July 2021 09:50:49 PM
489 The Martyrs' Kirk Martyrs’ Kirk stands on the site of what was originally Martyrs’ Free Kirk. Built in 1844, the original building was demolished in order to build a bigger church that met the demands of its congregation. This structure, which remains standing to this day, was built between 1925 and 1928 by Gillespie and Scott. However, in 2008 the church was closed and in 2010 the congregation merged with Hope Park Church. The University of St Andrews then acquired the building in 2012 and, after extensive refurbishment, it now serves as a post-graduate study space as well as housing around 5000 volumes of the University’s Special Collections, many of which hold mathematical significance. For some further information on the Martyrs' Kirk, visit here. Site Tuesday 06th of July 2021 11:06:36 PM Tuesday 24th of August 2021 11:35:39 AM
564 The Museums of the University of St Andrews The Museums of the University of St Andrews consist of two museums and a Collections Centre. The Wardlaw Museum houses most of the university’s collection, with displays focusing both on the history of the university itself, as well as the research and inventions it has produced. The Bell Pettigrew Museum is specialised on natural history with displays predominantly consisting of taxidermy, fossils, and skeletons. Across these museums, the university owns and displays an impressive 115, 000 artefacts and specimens . The museums include multiple artefacts of mathematical relevance, such as a set of Napier’s bones, geometry models used historically by students at the university, and, most famously, the Great Astrolabe created by Humphrey Cole and likely obtained for the university by the mathematician James Gregory. For more information on the museums, see here. Site Astronomy, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Medicine, Natural History, Natural Philosophy, Philosophy, Photography, Physics Friday 09th of July 2021 10:27:30 AM Thursday 29th of July 2021 12:53:07 PM
407 The University Observatory The University Observatory in St Andrews comprises of a variety of telescopes ranging from 6cm to 94cm in size and from 1 year to 100 years in age. It is centred around teaching, research, and outreach. The observatory is an outpost of the astronomy group at the School of Physics & Astronomy in St Andrews. It can be found at +56 degrees latitude, -2.8 degrees longitude, and at an altitude of 30m. For further information, see here. Site Astronomy, Mathematics Thursday 10th of June 2021 02:39:11 PM Tuesday 13th of July 2021 08:36:02 PM
667 Thomas Rodger's House & Studio Thomas Rodger (18 April 1832 – 6 January 1883) was a Scottish photographer. Rodger was one of the early photographers that developed the calotype method in his work. His house was used as a professional photography studio by him and it was where he got his photographic projects to grow and mature. Rodger’s exceptional photographic work has created an archive full of moments and places of the town, and can now be found in the Wardlaw Museum and at the University’s Library. Being the first professional photographer of the town he managed to capture and show the world the beauty of this special place. Site Photography Friday 04th of November 2022 02:29:43 PM Friday 04th of November 2022 02:29:43 PM
415 Thomas Rodger's House & Studio Thomas Rodger (1832-1883) was the first professional photographer in St Andrews, famous for his portrayals of the town, its people, and visitors. He studied chemistry at Madras College and is thought to have been an exceptional student. Rodger gave up medicine for a career in photography having been persuaded by Dr John Adamson since Chemistry was closely linked to photography during that time. He started as a ‘calotypist’ but would later move on to the Collodion Process in photography. By 1855, Rodger had become widely successful having won several awards and was exceptionally proficient in several methods. He considered himself more of an artist than a clever scientist who believed that as much as the science of photography had accomplished, there was yet a wider field open. He was famous for his individual portraits and his pictorial record of the town, its people, the fisher folk and eminent visitors bought him great fame and Rodger made St Andrews the centre of world photography. Site Natural History, Photography Friday 18th of June 2021 08:24:17 AM Friday 09th of July 2021 08:13:25 AM
381 Thomas Rodger's Studio, nowadays the Careers Centre Site Sunday 18th of April 2021 02:17:47 AM Sunday 18th of April 2021 02:17:47 AM
328 United College Site Sunday 14th of February 2021 09:30:52 PM Monday 26th of April 2021 06:49:15 PM
352 University Hall University Hall was the first hall of residence for women, founded in Site Sunday 28th of February 2021 09:13:06 PM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 12:56:50 PM
414 West Port So'gait port (South Street), now called West Port, is one of few surviving town "Ports" in Scotland (the Lowland Scots word for a town gate) and is a scheduled monument. It was built by Thomas Robertson at around 1859 but was completely refurbished in 1843 by the Provost and Mr. John Grant of Kilgraston. Its design is based on that of the Netherbow in Edinburgh. The West Port sits at the lower end of one of the towns’ three premier streets. The view from the west shows an impressive monumental quality while the view from the east forms a natural boundary to the town's historic core. It is still in use for passage, and thus preserves some of the aesthetic effect of an archway. The West Port remains a notable structure, contributing positively to the historic fabric of Scotland's oldest university town. Site Natural History Friday 18th of June 2021 08:11:26 AM Friday 09th of July 2021 08:24:38 AM
386 Whitehorn Hall Site Tuesday 20th of April 2021 11:53:37 AM Tuesday 20th of April 2021 01:03:17 PM
679 Whitehorn Hall Katherine Whitehorn was a British journalist and columnist born on March 2nd 1928. She graduated from Newham College in Cambridge, where she worked as a columnist for the Observer from 1960 to 1996. She became known for her wit, humour and observance of the lives of women. She was elected unopposed by students at the University of St Andrews in 1982 to become the first woman to be elected Rector of a Scottish University, as well as St Andrews’ first female Lord Rector. She held this position for 3 years, stepping down in 1985. Her pioneering role in the history of the University of St Andrews is reflected by the university naming a new hall of residence after her, when Whitehorn Hall opened its doors in 2018. She was appointed CBE in the 2014 New Year Honours for her services to journalism. Site Sunday 06th of November 2022 08:51:56 AM Sunday 06th of November 2022 08:51:56 AM
450 bute Site Wednesday 30th of June 2021 07:13:38 AM Wednesday 30th of June 2021 07:13:38 AM