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	St Andrews, Fife
		Brief Early History - the first people to inhabit the area of Scotland around St Andrews came some 8,000 years ago. They more than likely travelled across country from the south and across the North Sea. When the Romans came to Fife around 82 AD they built camps near St Andrews Cupar, and Newburgh on the south banks of the Tay. There is no evidence about St Andrews being a walled city, but in the earlier times around the 16th century the outer boundaries of all streets and wynds were closed by ports or gates. The rear walls of gardens formed the only defence. The only remaining port today is the West Port on South Street which, however, was remodelled in 1843. The ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots visited St Andrews five times between 1561 and 1565, accompanied wherever she went by crowds of people. It is believed that she stayed in St Andrews in 1562 in a house on the southern side of South Street, now used as a library by St Leonard's School. Queen Mary's House is a fine example of a 16th century Scottish town house.
		Craigtoun Country Park. Is a wonderful country park with, miniature golf, putting beautiful gardens, large open spaces, model train ride, boating lake, Dutch Village (in the middle of the Lake). It is also home to the North East Fife Ranger Service, who organize some very informative nature walks. Families can spend the whole day here exploring the park before lunch, having a picnic in the picnic area then in the afternoon enjoying fun on the boating lake or just walking through the extenive grounds.
		The Byre Theatre began in 1933 as an old cow shed. It was firstly modernised into a small theatre and later transformed into a state-of-the-art theatre complex. In 1969 the original Byre was demolished to make way for a housing development but in 1970 the new Byre was opened after much involvement of the local people and Fife Council. The has staged many different productions to suit all tastes and continues today to be a vibrant and successful theatre.
		The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, was established in 1754, after evolving through two and a half centuries as a leading authority in the world game. The Club celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2004. It took on responsibility for the administration of the Rules of Golf, the running of The Open Championship and other key events, and the development of the game in existing and emerging golfing countries, to a newly formed group of companies now known as The R&A. As a separate entity the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews remains as a private golf club with a world-wide membership of 2,400.
		The University of St. Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest university in Britain. It has a global reputation for academic excellence, research, and quality of student life. It was founded in 1413. By the middle of the sixteenth century the University had three colleges - St Salvator's (1450), St Leonard's (1511), and St Mary's (1538): the buildings of St Mary's College and St Salvator's Chapel both date from this period. Today the University is famous not only for its' academic achievements but also for the famous people who have studied there including Prince William.
		The Castle was the previously the Bishops' Palace, the residence of the Archbishops of St Andrews. The first castle on this site possibly dates from around 1200 - evidence in itself that the office was as much political as religious in medieval times. It was the Archbishop of St Andrews who, in 1306, placed the Scottish Crown upon the head of Robert the Bruce at his coronation at Scone Palace in defiance of Edward I, an act for which the Archbishop was later imprisoned. Over the centuries, the Castle has witnessed many conflicts and deeds of infamy, among them the martyrdom of George Wishart and the murder of Cardinal Beaton. It was also besieged many times, the most famous being the siege of 1546-1547, when the mine and counter-mine were dug. It was destroyed during the Reformation and is now in ruins. A modern visitor centre houses exhibits about the Castle and visitors can also explore the mines and the infamous bottle dungeon.
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