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St Mary's Quad St Andrews

St Mary's College

St Andrews.

St Mary's College, founded a College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is the home of the Faculty and School of Divinity within the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

The college is located on South Street, on the present site of the King James library and Parliament Hall, to the immediate east of the present St Marys College buildings. Parts of the original college buildings were incorporated into the King James library and adjoining structures in the nineteenth century.

St Johns College was reinstated by Cardinal David Beaton under the name the "New College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary" or "St Mary's College" in 1538.

At its foundation in 1538 St Mary's was intended to be a College for instruction in Divinity, Law, and Medicine, as well as in Arts, but its career on this extensive scale was short-lived. Under a new foundation and erection, confirmed by Parliament in 1579, it was set apart for the study of Theology only, and it has remained a Divinity College ever since.

St Mary's College retains much of its original sixteenth-century buildings, specifically

the north and West ranges.

King James Library

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

King James Library History

St Mary’s College Library, and Parliament Hall,

where the Scottish parliament was held in 1645-46.

The common library in St Andrews was founded by King James VI & I in 1612.

With gifts from The Royal family, Archbishop of Canterbury and Royal Librarian.

It was not until 1642 that the building on South Street

which now houses the King James Library,

opened as a library.

The Upper Hall was allocated to Regis Professor James Gregory

as his workplace from 1668-1674.

 In 1773 the library was extended and re-modelled

to what King James Library is today.

In 1976 due to the volume of students and books

a new Library building was opened on

North Street in 1976.

Great Holm Oak Tree

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

Oak Tree (Quercus ilex) planted 1740 in

St Mary’s Quadrangle

St Mary's Quad Archway

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

"In principio erat verbum" Latin phrase that means

"In the beginning was the Word"

The quote above the main entrance

on South Street to St Mary's Quad St Andrews

 

Archbishop James Beaton's House

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

Archbishop James Beaton the founder of St Mary's College in 1538.

Previous to that he also became Chancellor of Scotland (1515)

a very powerful man of the time.

Born in Raith, Fife, Scotland in 1477

and died in St Andrews Castle 1539.

 

St Mary's College

St Mary's Quad St Andrews

St Andrews University founded in 1413 is the oldest University in Scotland.

St John's College of the University of St Andrews

as a constituent college was founded circa 1420.

Precursor to the present-day St Mary's College

 

Principals House

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

Part of the oldest remaining buildings of St Mary’s college.

 

Archbishop John Hamilton

Founders House and Tower

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

John Hamilton Built the Founders house and tower circa 1550

 

Hamilton Tower Coat of Arms

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

The coat of arms above the tower door,

now weathered is of Archbishop John Hamilton

 

 

Queen Mary's Hazel Tree

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

The Hazel thorn tree said to have been planted by

Mary, Queen of Scots, during her many visits to

St. Andrews circa 1560.

 

Mary's Sundial

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

The large stone pillar sundial outside the Hamilton Building.


 

Muriel Duncan (Bird Bath)

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

Close to the Sundial a stone bird bath was placed by Muriel Duncan, the first woman lecturer at

 St Andrews circa 1916.

 

Bishop Wardlaw Statue 

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

Henry Wardlaw was a founder of the university.

The Statue was unveiled on the 29 June 2013

The statue depicts Bishop Henry Wardlaw in full Episcopal vestments

displaying the Papal Bull on the day that it arrived in St Andrews

in his raised right hand. He is carrying his crozier in his left hand.

 

Bishop Wardlaw Statue

St Mary's Quad St Andrews

Henry Wardlaw was a founder of the university.

The ruined archway is the original boundary Gateway circa 1420.  

 The fire of 1727 destroyed the buildings on the southern side of the quad.

 

St Mary's Do'cot

St Mary's Quad

South Street St Andrews

A Do'cot was a source of fresh meat 

 

Bell Pettigrew Museum

St Mary's Quad 

South Street St Andrews

Access through Gardens in St Mary’s Quad South Street

The Pettigrew Museum opened in 1838

by the Literary and Philosophical Society.

A partnership between the University and town.

In 1912 the museum had to be moved from

Upper College Hall to the new Bell Pettigrew Museum.

The Bell Pettigrew Museum of Natural History

is open to everyone during term breaks.

Entry is free.

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