About Guardbridge
Guardbridge is a village in the north-east of Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is approximately 3mi north-west of St Andrews, and is situated on the estuary of the River Eden, at the junction of the A91 road between St Andrews and Stirling and the A919 /A914 road between Leuchars and the Tay Road Bridge. Guardbridge has a number of local amenities including a school, general store, garages, hotel, takeaway food shop, hairdresser, furniture maker, and bowling and fishing clubs. The village has also become a very popular dormitory settlement due to its close proximity to St Andrews and Dundee. HistoryThe village takes its name from a 15th-century six-arched bridge built by Bishop Henry Wardlaw who founded the University of St Andrews. 'Gaire', although Anglicised as 'guard', actually means a triangular piece of ground in Scots and probably describes the course of the Eden where it is crossed by the bridge. (Alternatively, "Gare", the French word for "station" or the older Latin version of "Statio" referred to the Statio located on the low escarpment on the rise to Seggie. The Statio was the last overnighting stop used by caravans of pilgrims on their way to the Holy City of St Andrews, which was one of the two most important sites of mediaeval pilgrimage in Europe. ) - see following reference to this statio, but referred to using the word "Hostel" which isn't entiely accurate. Guardbridge was the site of the last hostel for pilgrims travelling to St Andrews. From there, the Augustinians regulated the number of pilgrims visiting the cathedral.
Guardbridge Description
Guardbridge is a village in the north-east of Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is approximately 3mi north-west of St Andrews, and is situated on the estuary of the River Eden, at the junction of the A91 road between St Andrews and Stirling and the A919 /A914 road between Leuchars and the Tay Road Bridge. Guardbridge has a number of local amenities including a school, general store, garages, hotel, takeaway food shop, hairdresser, furniture maker, and bowling and fishing clubs. The village has also become a very popular dormitory settlement due to its close proximity to St Andrews and Dundee. HistoryThe village takes its name from a 15th-century six-arched bridge built by Bishop Henry Wardlaw who founded the University of St Andrews. 'Gaire', although Anglicised as 'guard', actually means a triangular piece of ground in Scots and probably describes the course of the Eden where it is crossed by the bridge. (Alternatively, "Gare", the French word for "station" or the older Latin version of "Statio" referred to the Statio located on the low escarpment on the rise to Seggie. The Statio was the last overnighting stop used by caravans of pilgrims on their way to the Holy City of St Andrews, which was one of the two most important sites of mediaeval pilgrimage in Europe. ) - see following reference to this statio, but referred to using the word "Hostel" which isn't entiely accurate. Guardbridge was the site of the last hostel for pilgrims travelling to St Andrews. From there, the Augustinians regulated the number of pilgrims visiting the cathedral.