Leuchars
Encyclopedia
Leuchars is a small town near the north-east coast of Fife
in Scotland
.
The town is nearly 2 miles (3 km) 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 7+1/2 mi north-east of Cupar
and 6 miles (9.7 km) north-west from the university town of St Andrews
. The city of Dundee
is 7 miles (11.3 km) to the north, across the rail and road bridges that span the Firth of Tay
.
The town is now best known for the adjoining Royal Air Force
base, RAF Leuchars
, which was established in 1920, and is home to the Eurofighter Typhoon
.
The 12th century St Athernase Church
is one of the finest surviving examples of an unaisled Romanesque
parish church in Scotland, or indeed Britain as a whole, with two levels of blind arcading in the Norman
style running round the exterior, surmounted by a corbel table with heads of various designs. The interior has elaborate chancel
and apse
arches, and a series of powerful beast-heads on the corbels supporting the ribs of the internal vaults. The nave
has unfortunately been rebuilt. The apse
roof is crowned by a rather incongruous small bell-tower added in the 17th century.
The surrounding area was improved by drainage in the 18th century. In the 19th century, a railway station on the line from Edinburgh
to Aberdeen
brought increased prosperity to the town. When the branch line to St Andrews was closed in the late 1960s, Leuchars became the closest place to get the train. Since then, Leuchars railway station
has been used by many University of St Andrews
students.
climate, like the rest of Western Europe
. On average, Leuchars gets 654mm of rain each year and 1,523.2 hours of sunshine.
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...
in 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...
.
The town is nearly 2 miles (3 km) to the north of the village of Guardbridge
Guardbridge
Guardbridge is a village in north-east Fife, Scotland.It is approximately 3 miles north-west of St. Andrews, and is situated on the estuary of the River Eden. It stands at the junction of the A91 St...
, which lies on the north bank 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...
where it widens to the Edenmouth estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
before joining the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
at St Andrews Bay. Leuchars is 7+1/2 mi north-east of Cupar
Cupar
Cupar is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland. The town is situated between Dundee and the New Town of Glenrothes.According to a recent population estimate , Cupar had a population around 8,980 making the town the ninth largest settlement in Fife.-History:The town is believed to have...
and 6 miles (9.7 km) north-west from the university town of St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
. The city of 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...
is 7 miles (11.3 km) to the north, across the rail and road bridges that span the Firth of Tay
Firth of Tay
The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay, empties....
.
The town is now best known for the adjoining Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
base, RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
, which was established in 1920, and is home to the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
.
The 12th century St Athernase Church
St Athernase Church
St Athernase Church is a Romanesque church located in Leuchars, Fife, United Kingdom. It remains in use as a Church of Scotland parish church and the current minister is the Reverend Caroline Taylor....
is one of the finest surviving examples of an unaisled Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
parish church in Scotland, or indeed Britain as a whole, with two levels of blind arcading in the Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
style running round the exterior, surmounted by a corbel table with heads of various designs. The interior has elaborate chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
arches, and a series of powerful beast-heads on the corbels supporting the ribs of the internal vaults. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
has unfortunately been rebuilt. The apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
roof is crowned by a rather incongruous small bell-tower added in the 17th century.
The surrounding area was improved by drainage in the 18th century. In the 19th century, a railway station on the line from 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...
to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
brought increased prosperity to the town. When the branch line to St Andrews was closed in the late 1960s, Leuchars became the closest place to get the train. Since then, Leuchars railway station
Leuchars railway station
Leuchars railway station serves the towns of Leuchars and St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The station is the penultimate stop before Dundee.The station was built as Leuchars Junction station for the route over the Tay Bridge to Dundee, the previous Leuchars station being on the line to Tayport.There...
has been used by many University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
students.
Climate
Leuchars has a oceanicOceanic
Oceanic may mean:*Of or relating to the ocean*Of or relating to Oceania*A person or the peoples of Oceania, also called "Pacific Islander"*The Oceanic languages*Oceanic climate-Ships:*RMS Oceanic *RMS Oceanic...
climate, like the rest of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. On average, Leuchars gets 654mm of rain each year and 1,523.2 hours of sunshine.