Guardbridge
Encyclopedia
Guardbridge is a village in north-east Fife
, Scotland
.
It is approximately 3 miles (5 kilometres) north-west of St. Andrews, and is situated on the estuary of the River Eden
. It stands at the junction of the A91
St. Andrews - Stirling
road and the A919/A914 Leuchars
- Tay Road Bridge
road.
The village takes its name from a 15th century six-arched bridge built by Bishop Henry Wardlaw
who founded St. Andrews University. '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.
In 1852 the north-east Fife railway line was extended to St. Andrews, and a viaduct
was built over the Eden. However after the line was dismantled as part of the Beeching cuts the viaduct was demolished, and all that can be seen now are the bridge piers in the river.
In 1873, William Haig and two of his sons formed the Guardbridge Paper Company to find a more profitable use for their Seggie whisky
distillery which had been established there since 1810. The mill went into production in 1874. As the mill developed the village grew around it, with new housing and roads to attract and accommodate workers. Before the First World War the labour force reached over 400, reaching a peak of 620 in the late 1950s.
The paper mill
was previously the main local industry and was operated by Curtis Fine Papers. On July 24, 2008, the mill went into receivership and 180 workers were made redundant. Many locals were employed elsewhere in Fife, Dundee
, Edinburgh
or even further afield.
The village has become a very popular dormitory settlement due to its close proximity to St Andrews and Dundee.
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.
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It is approximately 3 miles (5 kilometres) north-west of St. Andrews, and is situated on the estuary of the River Eden
River Eden, Fife
The River Eden is a river in Fife in Scotland, and is one of Fife's two principal rivers, along with the Leven. It is nearly 30 miles long and has a fall of around 90 metres...
. It stands at the junction of the A91
A91 road
The A91 is a major road in Scotland, United Kingdom. It runs from St Andrews to Bannockburn, via Cupar. Along the way, the road runs adjacent to parts of the St. Andrews Old Course and Jubilee golf courses into Guardbridge. Past Guardbridge is Clayton Caravan Park. Further towards Cupar is the Eden...
St. Andrews - Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
road and the A919/A914 Leuchars
Leuchars
Leuchars is a small town near the north-east coast of Fife in Scotland.The town is nearly to the north of the village of Guardbridge, which lies on the north bank of the River Eden where it widens to the Edenmouth estuary before joining the North Sea at St Andrews Bay. Leuchars is north-east of...
- Tay Road Bridge
Tay Road Bridge
The Tay Road Bridge is a bridge across the Firth of Tay from Newport-on-Tay in Fife to Dundee in Scotland. At around , it is one of the longest road bridges in Europe, and slopes gradually downward towards Dundee...
road.
Henry Wardlaw
Henry Wardlaw was a Scottish church leader, Bishop of St Andrews and founder of the University of St Andrews.He was a son of II Laird of Wilton Henry Wardlaw who was b. 1318, and a nephew of Walter Wardlaw Henry Wardlaw (died 6 April 1440) was a Scottish church leader, Bishop of St Andrews and...
who founded St. Andrews University. 'Gaire', although Anglicised as 'guard', actually means a triangular piece of ground in Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
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.
In 1852 the north-east Fife railway line was extended to St. Andrews, and a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
was built over the Eden. However after the line was dismantled as part of the Beeching cuts the viaduct was demolished, and all that can be seen now are the bridge piers in the river.
In 1873, William Haig and two of his sons formed the Guardbridge Paper Company to find a more profitable use for their Seggie whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
distillery which had been established there since 1810. The mill went into production in 1874. As the mill developed the village grew around it, with new housing and roads to attract and accommodate workers. Before the First World War the labour force reached over 400, reaching a peak of 620 in the late 1950s.
The paper mill
Papermaking
Papermaking is the process of making paper, a substance which is used universally today for writing and packaging.In papermaking a dilute suspension of fibres in water is drained through a screen, so that a mat of randomly interwoven fibres is laid down. Water is removed from this mat of fibres by...
was previously the main local industry and was operated by Curtis Fine Papers. On July 24, 2008, the mill went into receivership and 180 workers were made redundant. Many locals were employed elsewhere in Fife, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
or even further afield.
The village has become a very popular dormitory settlement due to its close proximity to St Andrews and Dundee.
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.