The Fife-born author, himself an honorary graduate of St Andrews University, revealed a long association with the town and its university, dating back to family caravan holidays in the 60s.

In 1977, in his final year at high school, he visited again, considering the university's English Literature course until he discovered the most modern writer he would study would be Milton.

Times have changed at Scotland's oldest university, however, and students could now study crime fiction.

Looking over his shoulder at the life-sized oil painting by John Opie of the murder of Archbishop Sharp, specially acquired for the museum, he hinted he might set one of his future detective novels in the museum.

It was, he said, a fantastic legacy for retiring principal Dr Brian Lang and a fitting reminder of the wonderful personalities and famous and infamous events that had taken place around the unversity.

The purpose-built Museum of the University of St Andrews (MUSA) opening, on Tuesday, was the last over which retiring principal Dr Brian Lang will preside.

He told invited guests he was delighted with the project, which allowed the university to show off "all the good things it has collected over its near 600-year history in a marvellous building".

Profesor Ian Carradice, head of University Museum Collections, has been working towards the project for the past 20 years.

He said it was only when he returned to his alma mater to teach that he discovered the largely hidden treasures in the museum collection.

St Andrews is the only university in Scotland teaching a museum manager's course at post graduate level and he said realised the important artefacts needed to be seen by the public.

That was now possible, thanks to a near £500,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a number of private and charitable donations.

Professor Carradice thanked everyone who had helped in bringing the museum — the first in the UK solely concerned with presenting the history of a university — to completion.

MUSA is open Thursday to Sunday, between noon and 4 p.m. until March.
For further information visit www.st-andrews.ac.uk/musa