St Andrews Castle
About
A ruined clifftop castle on The Scores, built around 1200 as the residence of the town's bishops and the site of real, documented violence during the Reformation, including a 16th-century siege mine and counter-mine cut through solid rock that visitors can still walk into, and the notorious bottle dungeon cut into the rock below the Sea Tower. It sits directly above the sea with genuine coastal views, a short walk from the cathedral.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A walkable 16th-century siege mine and counter-mine cut through solid rock
- ✓The bottle dungeon, a prison cut into the rock below the Sea Tower
- ✓Clifftop position directly above the sea on The Scores
- ✓Combined ticketing available with St Andrews Cathedral
Tips
- →Book online in advance for a better ticket price than paying on site.
- →The mine and counter-mine tunnels are low and narrow; not suited to limited mobility.
- →Last entry is 45 minutes before closing.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
St Andrews Cathedral & St Rule's Tower
The roofless ruin of what was once Scotland's largest cathedral, free to walk, with a climbable 12th-century tower next door.
The R&A World Golf Museum
The rebranded former British Golf Museum, on Bruce Embankment by the 18th hole, tracing over 400 years of golf history.
St Andrews Botanic Garden
An 18-acre botanic garden on Canongate with glasshouses and themed borders, a quiet counterpoint to the old town centre.