St Andrews: History

Pre-20th-Century History

It's believed St Andrews was founded by the Greek monk St Regulus in the 4th century. He brought important relics from Greece, including some of the bones of St Andrew, who became Scotland's patron saint. The town soon grew into a major pilgrimage centre for the shrine of the saint and developed into an ecclesiastical centre.

Scotland's first university was founded in St Andrews in 1410 and by the mid-16th century there were three colleges: St Salvator's, St Leonard's and St Mary's.

Modern History

Originally decreed an illegal practice - its leisurely appeal was taking over from military training such as archery - golf was being played on the sly in St Andrews from the 15th century. The act of whacking a pebble around the naturally occuring sand dunes, rabbit runs and tracks became so popular that even James IV bought a set of clubs in 1502. The Old Course dates from the 16th century, when the archbishop, John Hamilton, granted permission for a rabbit warren to be established on the links, giving the townspeople the right to play.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club was founded in 1754 by 22 noblemen and gentlemen of the Kingdom of Fife who, according to the first written account: 'admired of the Ancient and healthful exercise of the Golf'. The imposing clubhouse was built a hundred years later. The British Open Championship has taken place regularly at St Andrews since 1873.

Recent History

Today St Andrews is the headquarters of golf's governing body, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

The golf and the generally wealthy student population have made St Andrews, at least on the surface, an affluent sort of place. It has a wealth of stately buildings and, as the birthplace of golf, draws professionals and keen slashers alike to take on the famous Old Course and its famously blustery conditions.

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