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Ruins Blackfriars Chapel, St Andrews

Introduction

Blackfriars Chapel was built in 1525 as an addition to the original 13th century friary in the town.   The Blackfriars were Dominican Friars or preachers who were introduced to St Andrews by Bishop Wishart at some point after 1274. The chapel was built in sandstone on the north side of an older church building, and consisted of a nave and transepts. Part of the structure encroached onto South Street, and permission for this was granted in 1525. Their friary was damaged by fire in 1547 and destroyed in 1559 by a Protestant raid, which left only the chapel upstanding. (An excavation of 1910 uncovered evidence of a hall.) Re-building took place after a grant was given by Bishop Elphinstone of Aberdeen in 1514. Only the north transept of the chapel now survives and, unusually, it has a semi-octagonal-apsed north end.

Exterior Description

The surviving structure of Blackfriars today consists of the north transept and apsed end, which protrudes into South Street from a large grassed area in front of Madras College. It is built in sandstone rubble with ashlar surrounds and tracery. The barrel-vaulted stone roof of the transept mostly survives. The semi-octagonal apsed end of the transept features three large pointed-arch windows, each with intersecting arched tracery with a round opening to the top. The central, north window is larger than the others, and may have been extended downwards at a later date. The west elevation of the transept features a similar pointed-arch window but which has lost its stone tracery. At the south end of the transept is the large arch that would have led into the crossing and nave of the chapel.

J Dowling 2017

Interior Description

The roof consists of a pointed tunnel-vault, with ribs that meet at a boss carved with Crucifixion emblems. There are corbels at the side walls to support the ribs, and one has the arms of the Hepburn family  (it was probably for John Hepburn, Prior of the Augustinian Convent of St Andrews Cathedral). The east wall features an arched aumbry. There is also a blocked doorway which was probably inserted in the 18th century when a house was built against the transept, incorporating it into the house.

Property Details
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    site_id : 4665

    Name : Ruins Blackfriars Chapel, St Andrews

  • Street : South Street
  • Town : St Andrews
  • Island :
  • City :
  • Postcode : KY16 9EW
  • Parish : St Andrews and St Leonards
  • Local Authority : Fife
  • Location
  • Easting : 350750
  • Northing : 716540
  • Dates
  • Record Created : 31/12/2023 14:59:07

    Record Modified : 31/12/2023 14:59:07

  • Name: Dominican Friars
  • Role: Denomination
  • Dates: 12-1560
  • Title: Friary: Damage
  • Description: Burned.
  • Date From: 1547
  • Title: Friary: Damage
  • Description:
  • Date From: 1567
  • Title: Transept: Build/construction
  • Description:
  • Date From: 1525
  • Title: Transept: Alteration/conversion
  • Description: Alteration of windows.
  • Date From: 1800
  • Title: Aisle: Build/construction
  • Description:
  • Date From: 1525
  • Title: Aisle: Damage
  • Description: Burned.
  • Date From: 1547
  • Title: Aisle: Damage
  • Description: Destroyed by Reformers.
  • Date From: 1559/6
  • Title: Aisle: Damage
  • Description:
  • Date From: 1567
  • Title: Aisle: Alteration/conversion
  • Description: Alteration of chapel windows.
  • Date From: 1800
  • Title: Transept: Addition
  • Description: Addition of door.
  • Date From: 1700
  • Title: Friary: Founded
  • Description: Bishop Wishart founded Dominican Friary.
  • Date From: c1275
  • Title: Friary: Addition
  • Description: Chapel built.
  • Date From: 1525
  • Title: Friary: Damage
  • Description: Destroyed by reformers.
  • Date From: 1559/06
  • Title: Friary: Alteration/conversion
  • Description: Addition of door into chapel.
  • Date From: 1700
  • Title: Friary: Alteration/conversion
  • Description: Windows of chapel altered.
  • Date From: 1800
  • Title: Friary: Build/construction
  • Description: Rebuilding of friary.
  • Date From: 1514
  • Title: Transept: Damage
  • Description: Burned.
  • Date From: 1547
  • Title: Transept: Damage
  • Description: Destroyed by Reformers.
  • Date From: 1559/6
  • Title: Transept: Damage
  • Description:
  • Date From: 1567

  • Original Bibliographies. May be out of date.
    • Name: Historic St Andrews and its University
    • Author: Read, J.
    • Date: 1939
    • Notes: Page: 9, 10.
    • Name: St Andrews Cathedral: official guide.
    • Author: Historic Scotland
    • Date: 1999
    • Notes: Text: Richard Fawcett.\nPage: 27.