Myths and tales of St. Andrews

[princess]

I was wondering if any of you knew much about the history, myths and tales of St. Andrews. Being a little first year I don't know a lot, but would like to know more about this old town, as it certainly has many stories to tell.

Anything would be much appreciated!

[scumdeeforever]

well, apparently there's a ghost in the woolworths stockroom...

[flarewearer]

they used to drown the witches down in the tidal pools infront of where the aquarium is now, hence the name "Witches' lake". Apparantely a big storm in the 1800's washed up a load of skeletons.

I also heard that the town library is built on top of the former graveyard of the Trinity Kirk, and that when they were excavating recently for the library renovation they had to dig out a load of skeletons and rebury them later.

Lastly, there is a myth, i don't know if it's true, that the university taccomodation used to offer value for money.

[legohead]

a fairly new one-
the icecream van

occasionally, if you are walking around st andrews at night, all the way into the wee small hours, you can hear the creepy lullaby music of an ice cream van. I was walking up the travelator that goes from the kinnessburn past st regs, when i heard the tinkly tune. I stopped walking and looked around, couldnt see the van anywhere. the music stopped, and then when I started walking again it started playing.
it was really freaky. a few other people have heard the mysterious icecream van as late as 3am.

a friend of my brother's claims actually bought an ice cream from them. but I don't know if I believe him.

[Thackary]

There's a tunnel from one of the hotels on the scores to the beach...

[legohead]

[s]Thackary wrote on 11:34, 24th Jan 2005:
There's a tunnel from one of the hotels on the scores to the beach...



yeh? where does the entrance come out? west sands (that would be a long tunnel!) or castle sands? I want to go exploring...

[JM]

[s]Thackary wrote on 11:34, 24th Jan 2005:
There's a tunnel from one of the hotels on the scores to the beach...


Do you mean tunnel or drainage sewer?

[flarewearer]

[s]legohead wrote on 11:12, 24th Jan 2005:
a fairly new one-
the icecream van
a friend of my brother's claims actually bought an ice cream from them. but I don't know if I believe him.


there is a myth that there is an icecream van that sells only drugs that does the rounds

[Jubilee]

The ice cream van goes past my house on Lamond Drive most nights and I have had ice cream and not drugs from it.

[blairtummock]

There is a link from the basement of a B&B on The Scores to the tunnel under the castle - you can see it through the drain on the scores and go in the tunnel from the castle - it does not go to the beach.

There is a second tunnel in St.Andrews from Abbey Park to the main part of St Leonards School - the road on Abbey Walk goes over it.

[Zombie Sheep]

When they were re-doing that bit ourside pizza express and the public library, apparently they dug up a load of deformed skeletons.

[hr]Sir, I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability. And I want you to know we are with you until victory, until Jerusalem.

[richey]

[s]Zombie Sheep wrote on 12:36, 24th Jan 2005:
When they were re-doing that bit ourside pizza express and the public library, apparently they dug up a load of deformed skeletons.


Yeah, that was a big mass grave for lepers. St.Andrews used to attract a lot of lepers on pilmigrages beacause St.Andrews was such a religious place, due to the relics of St.Andrews himself. So, underneath the whole of church square is a load of leper skellingtons!!


[hr]
"I believe in a thing called love"

[Prophet Tenebrae]

A Ned graveyard?

But I thought they jused decomposed around the age of 17 normal years (65 ned years).

[Al]

I think it more likely that any lepers would have been buried near the leper hospital, which was near where to Gatty now stands. The burials at Holy Trinity would just have been those of ordinary townspeople.

[hr]Life is too important to be taken seriously.

[KayBee]

[s]scumdeeforever wrote on 10:18, 24th Jan 2005:
well, apparently there's a ghost in the woolworths stockroom...



There's one in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill stock room as well.... very scary place up there.

[Prophet Tenebrae]

For a while people used to say there was a Mosque - but that was more of a lie than a myth.

[JM]

[s]KayBee wrote on 12:59, 24th Jan 2005:
[s]scumdeeforever wrote on 10:18, 24th Jan 2005:[i]
well, apparently there's a ghost in the woolworths stockroom...



There's one in the Edinburgh Woollen Mill stock room as well.... very scary place up there.
[/i]


Really!!!
what happens? does stock mysteriously go missing cos we can't really blame that on the ghosties can we?

[Zombie Sheep]

[s]Al wrote on 12:56, 24th Jan 2005:
I think it more likely that any lepers would have been buried near the leper hospital


Possibly also the case, but Richey is right, they did find lepers there, and also people suffering from various other things, like typhoid etc.

[themanwiththehair]

Quiet a few ghosts in St andrews apparently. Not counting the white lady and the monk at the castle, there is also apparently a spectral horse drawn carriage that can be seen occasionally going down one of the roads towards the beach (cant remember which one). Apparently it crashed there long time ago:) Also heard of sightings of two monks pulling someone between them, above the floor in the sports field next to DRA. Whether any of these are true or not i dont know..........

[mb667584]

[s]Ice Cream Van

I'm unfortunate enough to live out in the baddest of the badlands, on Tom Morris Drive and that ice cream truck regularily drives around after midnight.

I've never seen ppl walk away from it with suspicious bags full of white powder, but I've seen it stop outside houses waiting for ppl to come out alot of times, so either they run an ice cream take away delivery service or they're selling something a little more illicit than Mr Whippy.