The ancient City of St. Andrews stands on a rocky foundation,
Which has but a very small population;
And the principal edifices are on the northern side of the town,
Namely, St. Leonard’s, and St. Salvator’s, and the old College of renown.
Then there’s St. Mary’s, or the Divinity Hall, in the South Street,
A building of ancient structure, elegant and complete;
And the Cathedral is supposed to have been founded in the year 1159,
Which was demolished by a mob in John Knox’s time.
And the University is the oldest in Scotland,
And the interior of it is really grand;
Besides, there are numerous relics of bygone days,
Also monuments, which are all worthy of praise.
St. Andrews is a place of great antiquity,
And has been the scene of remarkable events in history:
Wishart was burnt there before Cardinal Beaton, a very sad doom,
And the Cardinal was murdered the same year in his own room.
St. Andrews is the healthiest town in fair Scotland,
And the Links, for the game of golf, are truly grand;
And the golf course is fully two miles in length,
Where the lovers of that game can expend their strength.
And the sea-bathing is excellent in the summer time;
And visitors flock to the city from many a clime;
’Tis the finest city I know of for healthy recreation,
And where visitors can have the best accommodation.
There are also open and covered tennis-courts and a bowling-green,
Which in the summer season is lovely to be seen;
And ’tis health for visitors during their stay there
To bathe in the pure salt water, and inhale the sea air.
St. Andrews is a beautiful resort in the summer time,
And the surrounding scenery is very fine,
With the blue sky above and the lark singing merrily,
And soaring high above the lovely calm sea.
’Tis delightful to look upon, on a fine summer day,
And to see the shipping passing along the silvery bay,
Laden with goods for different parts of the world,
With their beautiful white sails to the breeze unfurled.
The to hear and see St. Andrews fishermen trimming their nets,
The brave hardy men who seldom fret,
Only when they fail to catch some fish
To make for them a dainty dish.
And many scenes in the life of Queen Mary took place there,
When she was hunted from place to place in a state of despair,
With her heart full of woe, and all comfort fled,
And at times, poor soul, not knowing where to lay her head.
The away, pleasure-seekers, without delay,
And view St. Andrews and its lovely bay;
Also its venerable towers and spires shooting in the air,
Which is well worthy of a visit, I solemnly declare!
