St Leonard's College, St Andrews

St Leonard's College is a postgraduate institute at the University of St Andrews in St Andrews, Scotland. Founded in 1512 as an autonomous theological college of the University of St Andrews, it merged with St Salvator's College in 1747 to form the United College. In 1974 it was re-instituted as a postgraduate institute.

St Leonard's College
Coat of arms of St Leonard's College
Former names
The College of Poor Clerks of the Church of St Andrews
TypePostgraduate College
Established1512 (1512)
1747 - merged into United College
1974 - reconstituted as a postgraduate college
ProvostProf Frank Lorenz Müller
Students1,606
Location
St Andrews
,
Fife
,
Scotland
ColoursSt Leonard’s College
                             
AffiliationsUniversity of St Andrews
WebsiteSt Leonard's College

History

St Leonard's College of the University of St Andrews was founded as 'The College of Poor Clerks of the Church of St Andrews' in 1512 by Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St Andrews and John Hepburn, Prior of St Andrews (receiving Papal recognition by proxy in 1545), on the site of St Leonard's Hospital and Church. Its founding was a result of the poverty and declining status of St John's College, also known as the Pedagogy.

The first Provost of St Leonard's was the Dominican John Annand, a pupil of Jan Standonck and a determined reformer of the clergy. St Leonard's was consequently extremely monastic in nature, with members of the college being subjected to a far more rigorous and formal code of conduct than was in practice at St Salvator's.

Because of financial considerations and the general decline of the university, in 1747 St Salvator's and St Leonard's Colleges were amalgamated to form the United College of St Salvator and St Leonard. The buildings of St Leonard's College on South Street were sold, and all teaching thereafter was on the St Salvator's site on North Street.

Famous alumni of St Leonard's College include Alexander Ales (Alesius), John Knox, George Buchanan,[1] Patrick Adamson and James Melville.

Re-establishment

In 1974 a new St Leonard's College was established as a non-statutory college exclusively for postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. After matriculation, such students are de facto members of St Leonard’s College.[2] The head of the college retains the medieval title of the older St Leonard's College, Provost.

Notable Principals

Buildings
Martyrs Kirk, the universities postgraduate library

The old college site was visited by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell in August 1773.[3] The old college site has, since the late 19th century, been occupied by St Leonards School.[4] The college chapel remains the property of the university.[5] When it was re-established in 1974 it did not own any property, but since then it has accumulated several buildings including Deans Court and the Martyrs Kirk postgraduate library. St Leonard's College has been based in the Old Burgh School since 2020.

Provosts of St Leonard's College
From Until Remarks
Professor Malcolm MacLeod
Professor Martin Kemp[6]
Dr Frank Riddell[7]
Professor Peter Clark[8]
Professor Derek Woollins Vice-Principal (Research)
Professor Andy Murphy[9]
Dr Monique Mackenzie Assistant Vice-Principal (Provost)

Director, Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies

Prof Frank Lorenz Müller Assistant Vice-Principal (Dean of Learning and Teaching) and Provost

References
  1. "Buchanan alumni". Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  2. "St Leonard's Postgraduate College".
  3. "Samuel Johnson visit". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  4. "St leonards school". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  5. "College Chapel". Archived from the original on 2007-08-11.
  6. "Martin Kemp". Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  7. "Frank Ridell" (PDF). Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. "Peter Clark". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  9. "School of English | University of St Andrews". www.st-andrews.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-23.

Bibliography
  • R.G. Cant The University of St Andrews, A Short History (Oliver and Boyd Ltd. 1946)

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