THE PROGRAMME

Sunday, 20th August

Edinburgh Airport is some 55 miles by road from St Andrews. There are frequent shuttle buses (20-30 mins) to central Edinburgh, whence trains and buses to St Andrews (1 - 1½ hours). Alternatively, for those arriving at Edinburgh Airport, Scotland Tours is offering a direct coach service from the airport to St Andrews. Please contact Sue Patrick at sue@scotland-tours.com or telephone 01383 727 927 for details.
There is a ferry from Zeebrugge to Rosyth, 40 miles from St Andrews. There is no Sunday sailing, so that delegates from the Continent should sail on Saturday, arriving Sunday morning.

Arrival and registration of delegates. At 19:30 there will be an informal cheese/wine reception at the Gateway Centre, adjacent to New Hall.

Monday, 21st August
Registration continues.
13:00   Plenary Session in Younger Hall
14:15   Tea and Coffee
15:00   Opening ceremonies followed by Civic Reception in Parliament Hall and St Mary’s Quad
19:30   Scottish Country Dancing Evening, Gateway Centre

Tuesday, 22nd August
09:30 - 16:15   Lecture progamme commences
09:30 - 17:00   Whole day excursion to Glamis Castle and Discovery Point
10:00 - 17:00   Heraldic Artists Workshop and Posters, Upper College Hall
19:30   Traditional Music Evening, Gateway Centre

Wednesday, 23rd August
09:30 - 16:15   Lecture programme continues
09:30 - 18:00   Family History & Heraldry Open Day, Younger Hall
10:00 - 17:00   Heraldic Artists Workshop and Posters
19:30 - 21:00   Opening of Exhibition at St Andrews Museum and Reception

Thursday, 24th August
08:00 - 17:30   Whole day excursion to Edinburgh
19:30   Whisky tasting and entertainment, Gateway Centre

Friday, 25th August
09:30 - 16:15   Lecture programme continues
09:30 - 17:00   Whole day excursion to Kellie Castle and Falkland Palace
10:00 - 17:00   Heraldic Artists Workshop & Posters
19:30   Congress Reception and Banquet, University Hall

Saturday, 26th August
09:30 - 11:45   Lecture programme concludes
12:30 - 13:30   Plenary Session, Younger Hall
Delegates depart, and Post-Congress Heraldic Tour begins

OPENING CEREMONIES

It is planned these will be a singular and quite unusually memorable event. It will be held in the Younger Hall, the principal University public hall. In addition to the Congress officials, the University of St Andrews has indicated its willingness to participate in full academic state with the Chancellor in the chair and processing with its medieval faculty maces. The Lord Lyon has indicated he and the Officers of Arms may attend in State Dress. The heralds of a number of nations have expressed their intent to attend and participate. An invitation will be sent to all heraldic authorities with the request they attend and participate in tabard. Those who no longer have tabards will be encouraged to obtain them, using this occasion as the catalyst to recreate the public forms of their rank and office. The private Scottish pursuivants will likewise be invited. A number of clan chiefs will be asked to attend. Representatives from the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council will attend, and discussions are starting to bring out the former civic robes now in the local museum. Delegates may be invited to bring and process with their own armorial banners. The intent is thus to create a unique event of, frankly, heraldic and historic significance when for the first time since the Middle Ages heralds of several countries have met together in State. This will be of national and international interest, if only for its visual splendour. Professional photographs will be taken of the officers of arms participating prior to the opening as an historic record.

Two great gonfannons, processional banners, have been commissioned. At the opening ceremony the Congress will present one to the University of St Andrews and the other to the Community Council to be used by them in time hereafter. After the opening ceremony, presentation and speeches it is presently anticipated the entire assembly will process through the town to the Parliament Hall in St Mary’s College where a reception will be held and an opportunity presented for the delegates to meet and speak and be photographed with the participants.

The foregoing arrangements are subject to slight modifications, that will be displayed on this website. Details of Day events, Evening events and Lecture programmes are, or will shortly be, available on the website.