St Andrews Cathedral, St Andrews Priory

St. Andrews was only one of two cathedrals in Scotland with a monastic foundation attached, the other being at Whithorn. In 1140 Bishop Robert brought the prior of Scone to undertake the control 'of the priory of the church of St. Andrews'. During the first half of the thirteenth century, the dormitory, refectory and great guest-hall, were built, and building operations continued in the fourteenth century to provide barns and byres. The guest-hall was also completed by this time (RCAM, 1933, 235). Time has been rather kinder to the priory remains. Substantial portions of the chapter house, frater, reredorter and sub-prior's house remain. One of the most outstanding features is the Pends, a magnificent gateway which served as the entrance to the priory, dating in part from the fourteenth century. Prior Hepburn's sixteenth-century precinct wall survives largely in its entirety.

Information from ‘Historic St Andrews: The Archaeological Implications of Development’ (1981).

A watching brief was maintained during works in Vault 3 (the southernmost Vault in the West Range, at the west side of the Cloister, St Andrews Priory) to allow the insertion of a concrete floor. A ramp was also to be inserted at the door in the NE angle. Large flat slabs could be seen against the N and S walls and in the SE and SW angles of the room, suggesting that the vault at one time had a flagged floor. The area to be reduced was less than 2 m square in the NE portion of the vault. There were no finds or features of archaeological significance.

Information from Oasis (kirkdale1-60205) 26 March 2013