In around the year 1100, in the reign of King Alexander I, a wooden pier was constructed in St Andrews for the use of the fishing fleet. Around the Fife coast, towns like Crail, Anstruther, Pittenweem and St Monans all had natural deepwater harbours that required very little maintenance, but the St Andrews harbour, although in a sheltered cove, is very open to the elements, in shallow tidal waters, and full tides are required to enter the safe berths. The first stone pier was constructed in 1559, around the time of the confusion of the Reformation; it was largely built with the stone architecture of the great cathedral. But building materials also available were the ruined remains of the besieged walls of the archbishop's castle that had withstood the abuse of the naval and land bombardment, all were used in the build of the new harbour pier.

An old encyclopaedia says that in 1634 there were 70 fishing boats using the St Andrews harbour. But a huge storm destroyed the pier in 1662. Partly from a collection through the kirks of the area and a donation of £162 from Charles II on his visit here at the same time as the storm, a new sturdy pier was constructed. It was lengthened in 1882 to basically what we see today.

The story of St Andrews' fishing fleet is one of misery and utter woe. It's a wonder any fisherman made it to old age, so many and frequent were ships and men lost to this trade. Imagine the hardship in going to sea under nothing but the wind and oars for guidance, with nothing but woollen and leather clothes to keep the bitter North Sea from your bones. Most boats had just a deck, with no room for warmth and protection. The boats still brought back attractive catches. Herring and cod were caught in great numbers, but the cost in human lives was horrendous.

As St Andrews city was created by a shipwreck in 372AD, I follow on to give the tragic history of the St Andrews fishing fleet decade by decade from 1700 to the late 1800s. Many ships would succumb to the same fate as St Andrew's bones, but often with no beach for rescue.

1700-1710

On the 17th of August 1710, seven young St Andrews lads, full of adventure and with casual fishing in mind, left the safety of the stone harbour, rowing with enthusiasm their boat into the North Sea under a clear blue sky, as they had often done before. Soon a swell arose and before they could react, being several miles out from the harbour, they became caught out in a rather ferocious storm. They only carried basic picnic items of food and wine and were totally unprepared for the results of a storm. They were exposed and buffeted about, lost at sea for seven full days, till the boat eventually crashed on a rocky beach near Aberdeen, eighty kilometres up the coast from St Andrews. The boys were so worn out by thirst and fear and want of sleep, that they could scarcely crawl from the beach. The two eldest made the climb up the cliffs to raise help for their friends. A fisherman called Shepherd gave them aid, and medical help came from the local university, but it was much too late for two of the boys who soon died, of exposure and exhaustion.

The oldest of the seven was only fifteen years old. His father was Mr Bruce, a respected man from Edinburgh, who was so grateful for the care Mr Shepherd had bestowed on his son and friends that he gave as thanks a silver plate with an engraved picture of the boys in a boat landing amongst the rocks. The story of the boys and the kindness from the fisherman was big news around the country and many paintings were made on the subject of their ordeal. It is from this disaster that our story of St Andrews fishing fleet starts. And it is one of the early records of fatalities from this harbour.