St Andrews Castle was not just a fortress but a bishop’s palace where key events took place inside the castle walls leading up to the Protestant Reformation in 1560. It started with the burning of the Protestant preacher George Wishart, followed by the murder of the Catholic Cardinal David Beaton and transpired with the great siege of 1546–7, led by the Regent Arran. It resulted in the creation of the castle’s most remarkable and unique features – the Catholic mine and Protestant countermine.
Archbishop John Hamilton (1546–71) repaired the badly damaged castle, giving it a new entrance front which you can still see today. It reflects Hamilton’s wealth and power. But his tenure was brought to an early end, because he opposed the Reformation and was eventually hanged.
Descend into the castle’s unique underground mines to get a sense of medieval siege warfare
Peer into the bottle dungeon, one of medieval Britain’s most infamous castle prisons.
Opening Hours: 1 April to 30 September:
Monday to Sunday, 9.30am to 5.30pm
1 October to 31 March:
Monday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm (or earlier in bad weather)
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