St Andrews Castle
The
Castle was the former Bishops' Palace, the residence of the Archbishops of St Andrews. The first castle on this site
probably dates from around 1200 - evidence in itself that the office was as much political as religious in medieval
times. For example, it was the Archbishop of St Andrews who, in 1306, placed the Scottish Crown upon the head of
Robert the Bruce at his coronation at Scone in defiance of Edward I, an act for which the Archbishop was later
imprisoned.
Over the
centuries, the Castle has witnessed many conflicts and deeds of infamy, among them the martyrdom of George Wishart and
the murder
of Cardinal Beaton. It was also besieged many times, the most famous being the siege
of 1546-1547, when the mine and counter-mine were dug.
Eventually destroyed during the Reformation, the Castle is now in ruins. A modern visitor centre houses exhibits
about the Castle and visitors can also explore the mines and the infamous bottle dungeon.
