St Andrews Castle getting beautified

On a breezy walk down the Scores, the ocean extending to the horizon and the sun still hidden behind perpetual cloud cover, the almost 900-year-old St Andrews Castle emerges as a stately sight. Though, presently, the entire east side of the Castle is covered in extensive scaffolding.

What is happening to one of our historic landmarks and home for Scottish bishops of the Middle Ages? According to the Historic Scotland agency, a division of the Scottish government, there is no need to fret. The construction is simply conservation. Masons and technicians are replacing hard mortar with a lime mortar to deal with weathering effects on the facade.

The Castle has been through some hard times, notably the 1801 fall of the great hall into the sea. With the entire east side of the Castle lost over the cliff, there is no doubt the old residents of the Castle, such as Bishop Arnold who began the building project in 1160, would approve of the preservation efforts.

One of the site’s highlights, the mine and countermine, are not effected by the self-supported scaffolding. The rather awesome underground passages and unique survival tunnels of medieval warfare, were acquired after a dramatic siege by Regent Arran and public burning of Protestant preacher George Wishart in the mid 16th century.

With hundreds of years of stories, an impressive Renaissance entrance by Archbishop Hamilton in 1550 and the boldness of a stone castle by the sea, it is worth the short wait until the end of March to see the castle in full glory.

Images courtesy of  www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk and Kelly Saiz