St Leonards College, University of St Andrews (originally ‘the College of Poor Clerks of the Church of St Andrews’) was founded in 1511 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 Leonards hospital and church. Its creation was a result of the poverty and declining status of St John’s College/Pedagogy and Arts Faculty of St Andrews.

St Leonards was 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 Salvators.

Because of financial considerations and the decline of the university, St Salvator’s and St Leonard’s Colleges were amalgamated into the The United College of St Salvator and St Leonard in 1747. Shortly after this, the initial site of St Leonards College on South Street was abandoned in favour of the St.Salvators college site.

The old college site has, since the late 19th century, been occupied by a private school for children of all ages. The college chapel remains in use by the university.

References

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

University of St Andrews | 1511 establishments