Leonard's, St.

   LEONARD'S, ST., a parish, in the district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife; containing 554 inhabitants. This parish derives its name from the dedication of its ancient church, and appears to have had its origin in the frequent pilgrimages made by large numbers of devotees to visit the relics of St. Andrew, deposited by Regulus, a Grecian monk, in the church of St. Andrew in the city of that name. The conventual buildings were then wholly inadequate for the accommodation of these pilgrims; and to remedy this deficiency, a house was erected for their entertainment, with a church and other requisite appendages, forming together the hospital of St. Leonard, under the patronage of the prior and brethren of the Augustine monastery, by whom it was endowed, and within whose jurisdiction it was situated. After the practice of visiting the relics of departed saints had begun to subside, the hospital was converted into a college, in connexion with the university of St. Andrew's; and its original endowment was appropriated to the maintenance of a principal, four chaplains, and twentysix scholars, of whom six, under the direction of the principal, were to devote themselves exclusively to the study of theology. This college was afterwards united to that of St. Salvator; and the buildings and grounds of the ancient hospital of St. Leonard were sold, and the edifice subsequently converted into two separate dwelling-houses, forming handsome residences for the respective proprietors.

   The parish is principally within the limits of the city of St. Andrew's, to which it forms an appendage, and with which in all civil matters it is intimately connected. That part of it not surrounded by the city is bounded on the north by the parish of St. Andrew's; on the east by the parish of Kingsbarns; on the south by Crail; and on the west by Denino. The surface of the rural district is pleasingly diversified, and the soil generally fertile; the whole number of acres is 981, of which about 650 are arable and in a state of profitable cultivation, and 300 in pasture and waste land. There is very little natural wood; and the parish contains few plantations of any extent. The system of agriculture is in an improved condition, and the crops are, oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips; the lands are partially inclosed, and the farm houses and offices in general substantially built and commodious. The substrata are chiefly freestone and sandstone; the former, though soft, is of good quality, and very durable, and both are quarried for building and other purposes. The principal landed proprietors are, the principal and masters of the united colleges of St. Salvator and St. Leonard, and the corporation of the city of Glasgow. The rateable annual value of the parish is £797. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of St. Andrew's and the synod of Fife: patron, the Crown. The stipend of the incumbent was formerly five chalders arising from the revenues of the priory of St. Andrew's, and the rent of half an acre of land bequeathed about 200 years since for the support of the minister; but, by act of parliament for the augmentation of small livings, passed in 1810, it has been raised to £150 per annum, of which £88 are received from the exchequer. There was neither manse nor glebe; but, within the last few years, a glebe of four acres, with half an acre additional for the site of a manse, has been appropriated, and is at present let for £18 per annum. The church, once belonging to the hospital of St. Leonard, and for more than two centuries the parish church, having fallen into a state of dilapidation, the chapel of St. Salvator's College has been since appropriated as the church of the parish. This chapel, erected by Bishop Kennedy in the fifteenth century, was, previously to its being mutilated at the time of the Reformation, an elegant and spacious structure in the decorated English style of architecture; and it still retains much of its original character, though greatly curtailed in its dimensions, and stripped of many of its ornaments. It is well adapted for a congregation of nearly 500 persons. There is no school of any kind; the children receive instruction in the various schools of the city of St. Andrew's. The walls of the old parish church are still in a state of good preservation, and within the area are numerous monuments, erected to the memory of individuals connected with the college, but which, from the perishable nature of the stone, are rapidly falling into decay. The tower and spire were taken down soon after the chapel of St. Salvator's College was appropriated as the parish church.

   See Andrew's, St..