Centenary celebration

An exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of two notable events in St Andrews’ church history opens this week.

On 16 October 1904, the ancient Collegiate Church of St Salvator became the official University Chapel. On 28 July in the same year, the congregation of St Leonard’s parish which, for historic reasons, had worshipped in St Salvator’s Church from the mid 18th century, moved to their current parish church on the corner of Hepburn Gardens and Donaldson Gardens.

Entitled “Work and worship: a celebration of the University Chapels and of the congregation of the parish of St Leonard, 1413- 2004”, the exhibition focuses on the history of the University’s two churches, now known as St Salvator’s and St Leonard’s Chapels, and the congregation of the parish of St Leonard. It also explains why the members of St Leonard’s parish no longer worship in their original home, St Leonard’s Chapel (formerly St Leonard’s Parish Kirk) but, instead, in St Leonard’s Church on Hepburn Gardens.

The story is a fascinating one, which begins in the medieval period, when the churches were founded. It runs though the turbulent years of the Reformation, when Protestant martyr Patrick Hamilton was burnt outside St Salvator’s Church, the Union of the Colleges of St Salvator and St Leonard in 1747, which had the effect of bringing the members of both colleges and the parishioners of St Leonard’s Kirk together under one roof for worship, and the Disruption of the Church of Scotland in 1843. It follows periods of poverty and decline, growth and expansion and highlights the close links between the churches, town and University. It also celebrates the life and work of the churches today.

The exhibition, which is open to the public and free of charge, opens on Friday 3 September 2004 in the University Library, North Street, St Andrews. Visitors should report to the janitor at reception. Also on sale in the University Library, and in local bookshops, is a newly published history and guidebook to St Salvator’s Chapel (price £4.00). Written by Curator of Museum Collections Helen Rawson, with photographs by University Photographer Peter Adamson, it provides a colourful and interesting account of the history of St Salvator’s Chapel from its foundation in 1450 to the present day.

The University Library is open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, until the end of September, then during normal University Library term- time opening hours. Contact the Library on 01334 462281 for details.

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information, please contact Claire Grainger, Press Officer – 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or [email protected]; Ref: press releases/centenary View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk