St Andrews - 11

Here we see Canon John Law writing his chronicle.



About 1144 Bishop Robert had founded a community of Augustinian canons to serve as his cathedral chapter.

These canons provided services, maintained the building and performed administrative duties, as well as living according to their monastic rule around the cloister to the south of the cathedral.

The Augustinians traditionally also had intellectual interests, and after the formal establishment of the University of St Andrews in 1413 several of the canons came to play an active role there. In 1512 St Leonard's College was founded by the then head of the community, Prior John Hepburn.

About 1521 Canon John Law, the sacristan - responsible for the care of the church and its contents - wrote a chronicle which provided valuable information about St Andrews. He later attended the University, and eventually became Principal of St Leonard's College.