St Andrews Cathedral, Saint Andrews

St Andrews Cathedral stands in the coastal town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The ruined cathedral was built in 1158 and became the centre of the Medieval Catholic Church in Scotland as the seat of the Archdiocese. It was the largest church ever built in Scotland, stretching about 119 metres long. The cathedral fell into disuse after the 16th-century Scottish Reformation when Catholic mass was outlawed. Today it is a monument cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. The ruins show parts of the original structure, including the east and west gables and much of the south wall. The cathedral’s history includes key events and figures. Work began in 1158 and continued for over a century, with repairs needed after storms and damage. King Robert the Bruce attended the cathedral’s consecration in 1318. In 1348, two-thirds of the Augustinian canons died of bubonic plague. John Knox’s preaching in 1559 led to the cathedral being ransacked by a Protestant mob. By 1561 it had been abandoned and left to decay. A visitor finds the cathedral’s ruins and St Rule’s Tower within its grounds. St Rule’s Tower, built in the 11th century, stands 33 metres high and offers views of the town, harbour, sea and countryside. The tower’s three tall arches and thin walls reflect different building phases. Nearby, parts of the priory wall and archways called The Pends still remain. The cathedral grounds also include the burial sites of bishops, scholars and notable figures from St Andrews’ past.