St. Andrews however, has a sinister and violent history.  In the days of the Protestant Reformation, religious zealots (Protestant and Catholic alike) committed numerous violent acts against accused heretics, ranging from stabbing to imprisonment and even incineration.

The spirit of a young Protestant martyr, Patrick Hamilton, lingers restlessly on the grounds of The University of St. Andrews, Scotland’s oldest University.  On February 29th in 1528, this 21-year-old martyr was burned at the stake as a heretic. 

According to record, Patrick's executioners were rather inept and failed to build the fire large enough to do its work.  The fire went out before Patrick expired and so he hung from the stake horrifically burned but still conscious.  Because his death sentence called for burning at the stake there was no consideration of swift mercy, and his executioners set about the replenishment of the fire.  Patrick's execution was to drag on for nearly six agonizing hours before his body was completely consumed by the flames.

His image is said to have been permanently etched in the stone of the tower of St Salvator's Church, which he was facing when he was burned alive.  On occasion, spooked residents and the occasional visitor, report a mysterious and nearly inaudible crackling sound accompanied by the unmistakable stench of burning flesh when passing close to the site of Patrick’s incineration.

According to local legend, any student of the University who stands on the spot of Patrick's execution will never graduate.

I have been there on several occasions and there is, indeed, an eerie human image imbedded in the stone, and a very unsettling feeling to the location.