WELCOME TO ST ANDREWS CASTLE & CATHEDRAL
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These two sites are steeped in history, caught in the Protestant Reformation struggle for hearts and minds.
St Andrews Cathedral, now ruined, is one of Scotland’s largest and most magnificent medieval Churches. The ruins tell a story of grand construction at a time of stylistic change, and the dramatic iconoclasm that followed the reformation. The Cathedral site plays host to history from the time of the Picts through to the present day.
St Andrews Castle was a bishop’s palace, a fortress and a state prison during its 450-year history. Its size signalled the power and wealth of the important churchmen who resided there in the Middle Ages.
Protestant preacher George Wishart may have been imprisoned in the castle’s bottle dungeon. Cardinal Beaton’s murdered body was certainly kept in the dank and airless hole. The assassination sparked the brutal siege of 1546–47, when opposing sides dug the remarkable mine and countermine into the rock close to the castle battlements.
Visit the exhibition to hear about the darkness of the bottle dungeon and feel the drama of the siege.
St Andrews Castle and Cathedral currently have access restrictions in place due to essential high-level masonry inspections, which are part of Historic Environment Scotland’s new approach in response to the effects of climate change on our historic buildings and to ensure public safety at our sites. The visitor centre, exhibition and toilets at the Castle are open
More information on the sites and our essential inspections can be found online.
Contact Details
THE SCORES,
ST ANDREWS, FIFE,
KY16 9AR
TELEPHONE: 01382 477196
OPENING HOURS:
1 Apr to 30 Sept: Daily, 9.30am to 5pm
1 Oct to 31 Mar: Daily, 10am to 4pm
