St. Andrews by margaretvn
St Andrews has a special place in Scotland?s history, as it takes its name from the Apostle whose relics, according to legend, were brought to the town by St Rule. Scotland later adopted St Andrew as her patron saint and took his saltire cross for her flag. It is thought that this area of Scotland was first inhabited about 8,000 years ago, so there are lots of very ancient sites dating from the Bronze Age and even earlier in the area. From 1500 to 500 BC the first farms were established and from this age early graves and cremation urns have been found around St. Andrews. The Romans arrived in Fife around 82 AD and set up camps in the area. There was one near Cupar and one at Newburgh. The Romans main enemy were the Picti (the painted men ? today known as the Picts). By the third century AD the Roman power in Scotland had declined. ST Columba came to Scotland in about 565 AD from Ireland and they settled on Iona. The earliest holy men that arrived in St Andrews were the Culdee; they were basically non- celibate clergy members of the Roman church. They had a church built for them in St Andrews. It is thought that the first church was on the Lady?s Craig Rock at the end of the present day pier. A storm forced the Culdees to build rebuild on the headland above and it is these ruins of the Blessed Mary of the Rock that can at today?s Kirkhill. The cathedral dates from around 1160 and it was consecrated in the presence of Robert the Bruce in July 1318. It was destroyed during the Reformation by a mob that had been aroused by John Knox.
