52 South Street

The current exterior of 52 South Street probably dates from the eighteenth century. However, the core of the building is much older. Archaeological investigations undertaken during a recent restoration of the building revealed that part of the house is in fact fourteenth century. The fourteenth-century house was much smaller than the current building and was located several feet further away from the street. Indeed, the frontage of the medieval house now forms the back wall of the ground floor room. Like many of the medieval properties in St Andrews, 52 South Street is still a private house.

Street View

Additional Information

Location: South side of South Street. Date Built: Fourteenth to twenty-first centuries.

During the restoration a number of medieval artefacts were uncovered, including a pot made in York and a leather slipper. These have been given to the St Andrews Preservation Trust.

For much of its history 52 South Street belonged to a local noble family, the Monypennys of Pitmilly. The arms of the Monypennys are to be found on one of the roof gables.

As was common in medieval towns, St Andrews was divided into narrow properties with a house facing the street and a long plot of land behind the building. 52 South Street seems to have followed this pattern. To this day it has an extensive garden behind the house.