St Andrews
History of St Andrews
The formation of the present town of St Andrews began around 1140AD although a settlement stood on the site for centuries before. The ruins of the Castle dating from 1200 are still evident today. The Town was recognised as the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland. By the 13 century the Town had a huge economic and political influence within Europe. The University was established in 1410 and is the oldest university in Scotland. The Cathedral was the largest in Scotland and fell into ruin in 1559 following the Scottish Reformation and English Civil War. Under The Bishop of St Andrews the town was made a Burgh in 1614 and later a Royal Burgh by charter of King James VI in 1620.
The town is named after the Apostle Saint Andrew, the Patron Saint not only of Scotland but also Russia Greece and Romania. St Andrews has a population of around 16,500 people.