During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries St Andrew's Castle reached its peak as the splendid residence of one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom.
The bishops and archbishops of St Andrews were closely associated with the Scottish royal court and often entertained noble and Royal guests. For this purpose the main rooms would have been lavishly adorned with decorative trappings suitable to the occasion, exuding a magnificence virtually unmatched in Scotland at this time.
In the 1450's the youthful King James II frequently stayed at the castle. There he discussed political problems with his influential host, Bishop James Kennedy.
The heyday of the castle was probably in the time of Archbishop James Beaton (1521-1539) renowned for his extravagant hospitality, and of his nephew, David Beaton, who succeeded him and became a major political figure during the minority of Mary Queen of Scots.
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