Museum of the University of St. Andrews
During the 600th anniversary of the University of St. Andrews this month’s blog focuses on the university museum. One of four of the university’s collections this most recent creation involved the regeneration of an existing building. This regeneration had to complement an area almost solely composed of listed buildings and scheduled monuments that border the former Swallowgait.
Opened in 2008 the building was a former laboratory and utility buildings for the university. Overlooking the Scores Park it had been much altered in previous decades.
The deceptively small building holds over 12,000 artefacts bringing to life the 600 years of the university. Although St. Andrews has been a seat of learning since the Culdees formal tuition was instigated by the Augistinian priory in 1211. On 11 May 1410 Bishop Henry Wardlaw created a Studium General Universitatis using volunteer teaching clergy. The official status of university however, could only be granted by the head of the Catholic Church. This was signed by Pope Benedict XIII and the Papal Bull arrived at Candlemas, February 1414.
In accordance with current regulations and aspirations towards environmental necessities the conversion of an old building needed to consider new sustainable development methods. The architects for MUSA applied the latest knowledge of energy reduction and renewables to the core issues of how to heat and light the interior. Innovations include photovoltaic panels on the roof and a ground source pump from the car park, which is an incredible 65m underground. The solar powered passenger lift is a marvel of technology generating battery energy whilst travelling downwards to power the returning ascent. All of this means that less CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere to be trapped under the ozone layer, showing that, even the past needs to consider the future.
St. Andrews Golf Festival
Scotland’s First Minister Supports “Home of Golf” Celebrations
The St. Andrews Golf Festival, golf’s first-ever organised celebration, will take place between March 28-April 1st in this historic town where golf has been played for over 600 years.
The creative Festival, which hopes to attract international visitors, has an impressive schedule of events, exhibitions, tours, lectures, films and skills competitions planned for the launch of this five-day extravaganza. The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, affirmed his support of the endeavor by stating that: “St. Andrews is celebrated worldwide as the Home of Golf and it is apt the world’s first-ever Festival of Golf is happening in this ancient sporting town. The St. Andrews Golf Festival aims to not only raise the profile of St. Andrews and Scotland worldwide but also improve tourism and business revenue regionally, nationally and internationally. With a rich itinerary of events, the St. Andrews Golf Festival will hopefully grow in stature to become a well received fixture in Scotland’s calendar. I offer my warm support and all the very best for a successful Festival.”
Exhibitions to showcase the history of the game and some of golf’s most distinguished champions will be held at the St Andrews Golf Hotel and the Best Western Scores Hotel in St. Andrews and will include tributes to: Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros, the History of Golf in St. Andrews, Keepers of the Green, the Ryder Cup, Womens Golf and much more.
Speaking today Richard Wax, Chairman of the Festival, said, ‘we are very grateful to the First Minister for his support. The Festival is a world first and I am delighted that First Minister has been able to show his support for our initiative in this way. We are also very grateful to the town’s associations including the St Andrews Partnership, the Hotel and Guest House Association, the Links Trust and the many other businesses involved with the Festival. The advice, support and direction of the regional and national bodies including Fife Council, EventScotland and VisitScotland have been simply superb. Our aim is to encourage tourists to St Andrews earlier in the season and to raise revenue for local businesses. To date our story has reached over 24 million people and we hope that the global appetite for our story will see the Festival grow year after year.’
Speakers at the Festival include David Joy (on Old Tom Morris and the golfers of his era), David Hamilton (on artisan golf), Lewine Mair (on the History of Womens Golf), Mungo Park (on Willie Park Snr), Steven Reid (on Bobby Jones) plus book signing by authors Ivan Morris, John Hagen, David Hurdie, and Henry Lord. There are also art galleries by Graeme Baxter, Richard Chorley, Harold Riley, Joe Austen, Hugh Dodd and David Joy. There will be golf films played at venues across St Andrews including at the exhibitions plus an exclusive viewing of unseen footage from the outtakes of the BBC film on Seve Ballesteros, which will be introduced by the producer and director of the programme, Jo McCusker.
There will be lots of daily activities including: a golf tour around St Andrews golf spots by Mr Jimmy Bone (aka Old Tom’s caddy in the theatre production of Old Tom Morris); putting competitions on the Links Trust putting green for charity; hickory golf; guided walks around the historic sites of St Andrews by a Blue Badge tourist guide; golf simulators and charity fundraising for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation.
On Saturday evening, the St. Andrews Golf Festival Awards will be held in St. Andrews University’s historic Younger Hall, where Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and other icons of the game received honorary degrees from the ancient university.
All exhibitions, exclusive talks, book signings and gala night events are free for everyone.
The Festival line up is constantly growing and further ideas include “Street Golf” in the historic lanes of St. Andrews to re-enact the game of Sillybodkins that was played during Old Tom’s day with sticks and old corks.
For a listing of Festival events, visit www.standrewsgolffestival.com. The schedule is continually updated with additional activities that will interest golfers and non-golfers of all ages.
News and Events, Seasonal Tips
What is on in January
Happy New Year!
2012 has just started and there are plenty of great events coming to St Andrews over the next year but here is our pick of the events happening in January.
For more events, go to the excellent Event St Andrews site, on which you can filter upcoming events by interest.
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Tuesday 10th January, 10am. St Andrews Public Library
Contact: 01334-659378 or StAndrews.Library@fife.gov.uk
BookBug
Bookbug story, song and rhyme sessions for babies, toddlers, pre-school children and their families for ages 0-4
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Tuesday 10th January, 7.30pm. Chemistry Lecture Theatre A, Purdie Building, North Haugh
Contact: Friends of Botanic Garden
Love in the Mist, Devil in the Bush: Nigella damascena ‘Miss Jekyll Blue’
Plants Bred By Miss Gertrude Jekyll talk by Professor Michael Tooley
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Wednesday 11th January, 7.30pm. St Andrews Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens, KY16 9TA
Contact: Karen Dick 01334 848278
Our African birds
Our African birds talk by Will Cresswellof the Scottish Ornithological Society, Fife Branch
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Friday 13th January, 6.30pm. Fairmont Hotel
Contact: standrews.scotland@fairmont.com
Cocktail Masterclass
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Thursday 19th January, 1-1.30pm. MUSA, 7a The Scores
Contact: rjb54@st-andrews.ac.uk
Inspired by
Inspired by: the carved stone talk by Richard Welander, Head of Collections at Historic Scotland, about an ancient cross-carved stone dating from Scotland’s early Christian period, excavated from the grounds of the Cathedral
Free
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Saturday 21st January-4th March, 10.30am-4pm. Fife Contemporary Art & Craft, St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park, Doubledykes Road
Contact: mail@fcac.co.uk
Seeing in a Wider Sense
A dialogue with art and anthropology artists and anthropologists reveal aspects of the world and human interaction through their work. This exhibition brings together Fife based artists Will Maclean and Marian Leven with social anthropologists Stephanie Bunn and Peter Gow from the University of St Andrews. Artwork and artefacts from different cultures provide a starting point for dialogue between disciplines
Free
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Wednesday 25th January.
Burns Night Celebrations!
For more information on Robert Burns Night click here
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Wednesday 25th January, 8pm. St Leonards School Auditorium, The Pends, KY16 9QJ
Contact: info@stleonards-fife.org
Music Club Concert Allan Neave (guitar) and Robert Irvine (cello), programme
Antonio Vivaldi E minor sonata, Carlo Domeniconi Seven short pieces, Roland Dyens Songe Capricorn for solo guitar, Camille Saint-Saëns The Swan, Radames Gnattali Sonata, Gabriel Fauré Après un rêve, Pablo Casals Song of the Birds, Johann Sebastian Bach A selection from Suite no.1 for solo violoncello, Jaime Zenamon Reflexos No. 6, Manuel de Falla Nana from Siete Cancions & Danza Espagnole No. 1 from La vie Da Breve
Prices to be confirmed
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Friday 27th January, 7.30pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, KY16 9LA
Contact: enquiries@byretheatre.com
In moving close ups performers reveal to camera concerns of their own ageing while dealing with their parents’ increasingly glacial pace of life . Performers include Alison Peebles and members of Quarantine, Reckless Sleepers and Forced Entertainment, linked during a live performance by Donna Rutherford.
£12 (£10/£8)
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Friday 27th January, 8pm. Fairmont St Andrews
Contact: standrews.scotland@fairmont.com
Cinema Night: Slumdog Millionaire
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Saturday 28th January. Fairmont St Andrews
Contact: standrews.scotland@fairmont.com
A Taste of Burns
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Saturday 28th January, 8pm. Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, KY16 9LA
Contact: enquiries@byretheatre.com
An evening of Broadway and West End classics, with songs from Les Miserables, Wicked, Avenue Q and more – starring musicality winner Donna Hazelton
Tickets: £14 (£12/£8)
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