Undiscovered Scotland

 

"Hidden St Andrews: Discover The Hidden History of One of Scotland's Oldest Towns" by Susan McMullan is a wonderful book that should be purchased, read, and referred to be every resident of St Andrews and everyone who visits this loveliest of Scottish towns.

That's a pretty ringing endorsement: why do we think it is so good? The book's format leaves you a little unsure what to expect of it. Hardback, and rather large to be a comfortable fit in a pocket or handbag, your first impression is of a sort of mini-coffee table book, something to be leafed through when someone else in the household is watching {insert your least favourite TV programme here}. It doesn't take very long, however, to realise that what lies between the covers is nothing less than the key to unlocking an entirely new layer of fascinating places to visit and things to see in St Andrews. We thought we knew the town pretty well, but having read Susan McMullan's beautifully researched and organised writing, we have an urgent need to go back, and with her help get to know it very much better.

The book is divided into nine geographical chapters, and each of them adopts a common format. The first chapter, on "The Scores and Beyond", looks at the shoreline of St Andrews from near the castle to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, and starts with a map of the area covered. Within the chapter there are twelve sub-sections. Among these are features on Step Rock; Bow Butts; Carnegie's Wardrobe and the Cutty Sark; the Martyr's Monument; Witch Lake; the smothered piper and the caves; the University's medieval maces; the mines and dungeon at the castle; the Ladies' Dooking Place; Fife's Fulmars; Robert Chambers; and Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair. Each sub-section has background text and an appropriate illustration, and the effect is to allow you to go on a walk through the area covered, emerging with an understanding of many features you would otherwise have missed. The other eight chapters do a similar job for other areas of the town. In a word, outstanding.