Community rallies round to help light up St Andrews Castle

Partnership are now looking for someone to pay costs of the power to illuminate historic building

St Andrews Castle could be illuminated again soon, thanks to a community campaign.

The group behind the floodlighting of the town’s ancient cathedral is behind the latest drive to throw light onto the palace of bishops, which played a key role in major events of Scottish history.

Jo Roger, who is leading the £45,000 bid, said: “This will be the last piece in the medieval jigsaw in the town to be lit.

“The castle will become another focus after dark.”

The cathedral was ceremoniously lit up in 2018 thanks to community efforts driven by St Andrews Partnership to raise £195,000 for new LED lamps.

As with the cathedral, the castle’s old lights went out 10 years ago.

St Andrews University and the R&A clubhouse are already lit up and the partnership wants to complete the chain by adding the castle to the town’s illuminated icons.

Jo said: “We will use the same style of lighting as the cathedral, which was lit up on St Andrew’s Day 2018 and is a huge success.”

Already, several local organisations have offered funds for the project, including the Pilgrim Foundation, St Andrews Community Trust, Kinburn Trust and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club but help is needed to keep the lights on.

The university pays for the electricity for the cathedral and has offered to do the same, for a year, for the castle.

Jo said: “Now St Andrews Partnership is looking for organisations or individuals to take on the cost of the power for the castle for a year, five years or even perpetuity.”

The lights have already been designed by Thorn Electrics and are to be installed free of charge by RB Grant.

Jo launched the castle project with the late Lindsay Matheson, with whom she worked on lighting up the cathedral, before the death of the former Madras College rector last July.

Jo said: “We are sad that he won’t see the project completed.”

The castle was caught up in the Protestant Reformation, when Protestant preacher George Wishart may have been imprisoned in its bottle dungeon.

Cardinal Beaton’s body was kept there after his murder, sparking a brutal siege.

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The castle will become another focus after dark.

JO ROGER

Picture: Mhairi Edwards.