St Andrews Castle

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.

conflictvirtualwalkingtour

1189

amm60

Site

349

current,56.34189425035163,-2.7911563217639923;

TEXT

623

PIN4