Wye College

Coordinates: 51°11′02″N 0°56′20″E / 51.18400°N 0.93893°E / 51.18400; 0.93893
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The College of St Gregory and St Martin at Wye
Other name
Wye College
Former name
  • South Eastern Agricultural College
  • Imperial College at Wye
  • Wye Grammar School
Motto
Luce et labore[1]
Motto in English
By enlightenment and work[2]
Active1447–2009
FounderCardinal John Kempe
Location
Wye, Kent, England

51°11′02″N 0°56′20″E / 51.18400°N 0.93893°E / 51.18400; 0.93893

The College of St Gregory and St Martin at Wye, commonly known as Wye College, was an education and research institution in the village of

medieval chantry college buildings.[4]
: 5 

Wye College, 1984

After

plant growth regulators and fungicides.[6]: 451–453  Wain's colleague Gerald Wibberley championed alternative priorities for the college with an early emphasis on land use and the environment.[6]
: 454 

Following

Imperial College and controversial 2005 attempt to build 4,000 houses on its farmland, Imperial College at Wye closed in 2009.[11]
: 30, 45, 46, 50 

As of 2010[update], the pioneering postgraduate

SOAS.[11]: 49  Many of the college buildings have been redeveloped, though some are retained for community use or occasional public access.[12]

History

Chantry

Church leaders from the 14th century onwards were concerned by the influence of

heretical translations and interpretation. Where these priests' persuasion failed, the alerted church authorities could punish committed dissenters, or even have them burnt[13] as at Wye in 1557.[9]: 24  Several chantries were established in the vicinity, at least in part for this purpose.[13]

Latin School from Wye Churchyard, 2012

In 1432,

canons for the now collegiate church; performed their chantry duties for the Kempes' souls,[9]: 16–18  and included a teacher of grammar (latin). The master had to be a scholar of theology and member of Kempe's alma mater, Merton College.[14]

Kempe's statutes required the college to teach all scholars free, both rich and poor, though as a welcome seasonal exception grateful students could reward the schoolmaster with gifts of fowl and pennies on Saint Nicholas Day, confuetam galloram & denariorum Sancti Nicholai gratuitam oblationem.[15]

The

church. An earlier 1290 Wye Church, on the site, had been solely named for Saint Gregory. The further reference, at both the college and church, to Saint Martin may have been to recognise the contribution of Battle Abbey, itself dedicated to him.[9]
: 17 

By 1450, Wye College had appropriated the pilgrim's

King Edward IV granted it the west Kent coast churches of Newington, Brenzett and Broomhill in 1465.[14]

The rules were not universally upheld. In 1511, Master Goodhewe was reported to

benefices. But he was not removed from office for his misconduct.[9]: 20 [14]

By 1534 the college had annual gross income of £125 15s 412d,[14] or over £94,000 at 2022 values.[16]

Masters of Wye College 1448–1545[14]
Richard Ewan Appointed 1448
Thomas Gauge In post 1450, resigned 1462
Nicholas Wright Appointed 1462, in post 1470
John Goodhewe Appointed 1500, ceased 1519[9]: 20 
Richard Waltare / Walker In post 1525, 1534, 1535
Edward Bowden Surrendered the college 1545

Other partially surviving chantry colleges near Wye include the larger Maidstone,[17] and smaller Cobham Colleges.[18] Traces remain at Ashford.[13]

After abolition

Withersdane Hall gardens, 1983

The college was surrendered in 1545 under the

old masters at 6s 8d.[14]

Apart from its principal buildings the college owned nearby Perry Court, and

rectory and advowson of Broomhill on Romney Marsh. It was entitled to annual payments of 33s 4d from Westwell rectory, 10s from Hothfield rectory and 8s from Eastwell rectory. The college owned other land in Wye, Withersdane, Naccolt, Hinxhill, Godmersham, Crundale, Great Chart, Bethersden, Postling, Westbury and Broomhill.[19][20]

These properties were alienated first to Catherine Parr's Secretary, Walter Buckler for £200, who promptly sold them in 1546 to his brother in law, and property speculator, Maurice Denys. Following Denys' disgrace the college was acquired by William Damsell in 1553, thence passing on death in 1582 to his four daughters.[3]: 28, 29 [14]

As the seized lands passed from the Crown, and onwards, they did so subject to conditions, echoing Kempe's statutes, requiring the owners to "at all times provide and maintain a sufficient Schoolmaster capable of teaching boys and young lads in the art of

burnt to death at Wye that same year.[9]: 24  By 1596 it was noted, during a Commission of Inquiry at Deptford, that payments to a Wye schoolmaster required under the college's original transfer to Buckler were no longer being made.[3]
: 29 

The college buildings were occupied as a substantial private residence in 1610 for the Twysden family, incorporating the extant, fine Jacobean staircase and imposing fireplaces to the Hall and Parlour. The family may have previously occupied it as tenants of lawyer Henry Haule.[3]: 30 

In about 1626,

tenure and great financial hardship.[3]: 46 [22]

With salary back in place, the following year a grammar school for boys opened in part of the college[3]: 29  though the southern range continued to be used as a private house in ownership of the Winchilsea Finch family from Eastwell. Restoration poet Ann Finch and her husband Heneage lived quietly at Wye College from 1690 to 1708 to avoid persecution at Court for their Jacobite sympathies. Several of her works refer directly or indirectly to the college and their time there, including reaction to a chimney fire in 1702.[23][4]: 26 

Wye College's grammar school did not achieve the prominence of rival

Oxford's Ashmolean Museum.[24] In 1762 there were 40 boarders and 100-day pupils but during other periods considerably less, if any at all.[3]: 42, 46  Sometimes the position was treated as little more than a sinecure.[3]
: 49 

In 1868 the grammar school's position was bleak. Although teaching of classics was free, locals were concerned about increasing costs for tuition in other subjects. The school had only four boarders despite a capacity for 40. An alternative curriculum was considered and unless changes were made, an inspector concluded it would be hard to "keep a good master for £16 and half a house".[22]

Headmasters of Wye Grammar School
William Clifton[25][9]: 24 [21][a] In office 1557, 1569, 1581
Isaac Nicholls[9]: 28 [b] In office 1602
Surety-on-High Nicholls[26][c] In office 1642
Henry Bradshaw[27][d] 1640s
William Fenby[29] In office 1661
Jeremy Dodson[9]: 34  In office 1664
John Paris[30][e] 1665–1677
Robert Wrentmore[29][f] In office 1684
Samuel Pratt[32] In office 1684
John Warham[29] In office 1714
Thomas Turner[29] In office 1717
Johnson Towers[3]: 42  1754–1762
Philip Parsons[3]: 42 [33] 1762–1812
W T Ellis[34][3]: 46  1812–1815
Charles Knowles[3]: 46  1815–1816
William Morris[3]: 46  1817–1832
Robert Billing[9]: 52, 53 [3]: 47 [g] 1834–1854
William Bell[3]: 55  1854–1855
Samuel Cummings[3]: 55  1855–1855
Edward Ollivant[3]: 55  1855–1866
George Frederick Noade[3]: 56  1866–1867
John Major[3]: 57  1867–1870
Henry Holmes[3]: 58  1870–1878
  1. ^ Probably the William Clifton who was master of Faversham School in 1534 and son of Richard Clifton, fellow and school master of the college before surrender[9]: 24 
  2. Puritan Josias Nicholls[9]
    : 28 
  3. ^ Descendant of Josias Nicholls.[9]: 28  Headmaster of Sutton Valence School 1659–1660[26]
  4. ^ May have been father of poet Richard Bradshaw based upon a common association with Henry Oxenden[28]
  5. ^ Master of King's School in 1661[29]
  6. ^ Previously headmaster of Sandwich Free Grammar School[31]
  7. ^ Father of Bishop Robert Billing[9]: 52, 53 
Wye College dining hall, 1983

Lady Joanna Thornhill School

Cardinal Kempe's nephew Thomas Kempe sold Olantigh to Sir Timothy Thornhill in 1607.[35] The 1708 will of Lady Joanna Thornhill,[36] the daughter of Sir Bevil Grenville, second wife of descendant Richard Thornhill, and Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Catherine of Braganza provided funds to care for and educate the children of Wye.[37] Her trust purchased parts of the college buildings and other property for that purpose.[3]: 32 

Sir George Wheler, who some sources claim was Lady Joanna Thornhill's nephew, acquired the private mansion – the southern range, garden, outbuildings and Latin School in 1713.[3]: 32  He had been a pupil at Wye Grammar School but "learnt little" there.[38]
: 22 

That transaction left the college part owned by Lady Thornhill's trust and, on Wheler's death in 1724, part by his. A grammar school still operated in the Latin School and buildings around the cloister.[3]: 32 

The grammar school headmaster received free personal accommodation from Wheler's trust, use of the Latin School for classes and the £16, but had to pay rent to Thornhill's trust for other school space. The Thornhill trust operated its own charity schools for boys and girls in the Old Hall and Parlour respectively. Their schoolmaster received £30 per annum salary and the school mistress £20, from rent on property purchased in Wye and on Romney Marsh.[36]

By the late 18th century there were over 100 children attending Lady Thornhills school.[36] In 1839, rather than join the non-denominational British and Foreign School Society it affiliated with the Church of England's National Society for Promoting Religious Education, becoming a national school.[3]: 48, 49 

Wheler's will provided an annual £10 exhibition, increased to £20 by his son,[36] for local boys from Lady Thornhill's charity school to receive instruction at Wye Grammar School and then attend Lincoln College. The scholarship was funded by the rent charge on a house in Whitehall which Wheler owned. Unfortunately by 1790, that charge had become impossible to collect. Its absence was still greatly lamented, nearly a century later, both by Wye Grammar School[22] and Lincoln College.[39]

Trustees of Lady Thornhill's charity school, requiring more space for girls, converted an outbuilding at the south east of the grammar school garden for the purpose. The space, with extant exposed crown post roof, belonging to Sir George Wheler's trust became known as the college Wheelroom.[3]
: 52 

Nevertheless, the situation was poor. An inspector passed the facilities "but with the greatest reluctance". He observed the Old Hall used as boys' schoolroom "though a fine old room, is ill-adapted for a school and requires constant repair", and bemoaned that "as long as they are allowed to use this old room, the inhabitants of Wye will not lift a finger towards the erection of new schools". His conclusion was that Wye "has about the worst schools in the neighbourhood".[3]: 55 

In 1878 the Wheler / Thornhill trusts and operation of the grammar and charity school premises they owned were combined,[3]: 60  and two years later to comply with the Elementary Education Act 1870 the girls' Wheelroom was leased to Wye and Brook School Board for use as an infant school.[3]: 55, 60 

Main entrance, 2009
Headmasters of Lady Joanna Thornhill School
Edward Vincer[3]: 48  In office 1797
William Adams[3]: 48  In office c. 1820, c. 1842
Henry Holmes[3]: 54  1855–1859
John Herbert[3]: 54  Appointed 1859, in office 1862

South Eastern Agricultural College

Duty imposed upon beer and spirits under the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act 1890,[40] commonly known as Whiskey Money, was intended to compensate licensees in the country required to close. It created an income which Sir Arthur Dyke Acland instead proposed to Parliament be earmarked for the new County Councils to spend on technical instruction. His amendment, it is reported, was adopted by a lethargic and half empty house.[41]: 173 

There were some institutions offering short courses in Agriculture but very few opportunities for degree courses. The

Imperial College, had only graduated seven agricultural students per year between 1878 and 1887. There had been proposals for a single, central agricultural university, potentially near Derby, but no appetite for a network of them or state funding.[41]: 174  However nationally, now county councils chose to spend £80,000 per year of the Whiskey Money specifically for agricultural education.[42]
: 107 

The combined Lady Thornhill Trust owned its school premises; nearby Amage Farm, and agricultural land on

agricultural college for Kent, Surrey and Sussex,[3]: 60, 61  funded by Whiskey Money.[41]: 173  East and West Sussex County Councils dropped out of the scheme, and the farms were not immediately available, but negotiations took place[41]: 177  for newly formed[7]: 486  Kent County Council and Surrey County Council to purchase the school premises and a lease was arranged[3]: 61  for 250 acres (100 ha) of land[7]: 487  at Coldharbour Farm[3]: 60, 61  from Erle-Drax's Olantigh Estate.[36] Coldharbour was considered difficult, inhospitable, and a suitable challenge for the college to prove its ability to local farmers.[41]
: 177 

In 1892, Kent and Surrey County Councils obtained the old chantry premises for £1,000, the schools moving to a

socialist and former schoolmaster Alfred Daniel Hall as principal[43]: 87  and he opened with thirteen students. It was then the first and only college founded and maintained by public money solely for the benefit of agriculture in England. Hall's student roll grew to 46 in 1900; 71 in 1902, and 124 in 1913.[41]
: 174, 182 

Unconventionally for a college of agriculture, Hall chose to appoint teaching staff that were scientists rather than agriculturalists with some scientific insight, and at opening, none had agricultural experience. He later accepted that with his initial over-emphasis on basic science the establishment was fortunate to be accepted so quickly by the farming community. Rather than entrust the new college's farm to Hall's team the governors chose to run it themselves with the help of a bailiff. It was not until Frank Baybrook Smith briefly joined the college to teach agriculture that the governors felt sufficiently confident in the academic team to relinquish direct control of the college farm.[41]: 177–179, 181 

Between 1892 and 1894, the existing buildings were extensively refurbished at a cost of £18,000; a lecture theatre (Old Lecture Theatre) was abutted to the Parlour repurposed as a library, and biological laboratory (Lecture Room A) constructed north west of the cloister range. Original accommodation to the south of the cloister housed the principal. A chemistry laboratory was arranged in the Wheelroom, and housekeeping wing formed between it and the cloister range to service a refectory in the Old Hall. First floor space north of the cloister, and above the new biological laboratory and housekeeping wing, provided 20 student rooms. Others were to be accommodated in village houses.[3]: 61–81 

Entomologist of independent means, Frederick Theobald joined the opening college as lecturer in agricultural zoology, and later became vice-principal. He remained at Wye throughout his career.[41]: 179  Theobald's work transitioned a discipline that had been a matter of simply collecting insects to the study of damage they did to crops and how to mitigate it. He spent much of his time curating economic zoology and mosquito collections at the British Museum, and ceased lecturing at Wye from 1920 in favour of agricultural extension. Theobald's research on mosquitos and tropical sanitation earned him international recognition including the Order of Osmanieh and Mary Kingsley Medal. He lived at Wye Court until death in 1930, his coffin carried from there by former colleagues and students to Wye Church for burial.[44]

In its early years only about a fifth of the South Eastern Agricultural College student intake was for three-year qualifications. Others undertook short, more applied instruction for two-year diplomas, or leading to a single year certificate.[6]: 443  Short courses were provided, for instance to local school teachers tasked with instructing their pupils in nature topics.[45]: 234, 345 

As well as teaching and research, academics and other staff at the South Eastern Agricultural College, throughout its existence, provided

crop pests.[44] Their colleagues dealt with all manner of technical requirements, even designing an innovative aerating sewage treatment plant for nearby Olantigh.[49]

Complementing individual consultations and publications,

: 97 

At the end of its first year of operation Wye's College had cost Kent and Surrey county councils £25,000 split 3:2 in their agreed proportions. The two counties combined technical education budget at the time was only £37,000 per year. In addition to their normal annual contributions the counties had to make exceptional 1895 payments to cover their college's deficit and stringent cost cutting was enforced in place of the earlier largess. Grants from the

Board of Agriculture and those changes put the college back onto a sound financial footing ready for further premises expansion.[41]
: 183, 184 

Going forward, and particularly following 1910's Liberal government policy for expansion of agriculture and establishment of the Development Fund, this financial burden on the councils diminished,[41]: 186  falling to only £3,000 by 1925.[51]: 20  Indeed, itinerant agriculture lecturer Hall[43]: 73  left Rothamsted in 1912 to become one of eight commissioners to the Development Fund. The college would be able to seek annual grants from successive central government agriculture or education departments by presenting itself alternately as an agricultural institution or university respectively.[41]: 185, 186 

1895 Cottages on Wye High Street, between the college and Olantigh Road, purchased. Initially for student accommodation but later demolished to make way for a main entrance.[3]: 82 

The South Eastern Agricultural College at Wye immediately took advantage of the

Cambridge University. The arrangement was reversed for the new London University Bachelor of Science degree. Students could take first year basic science courses anywhere in the university's Faculty of Science and the latter years provided specialist teaching such as agricultural chemistry, agricultural botany and agricultural engineering.[41]
: 181, 182 

1901 Architect
Thomas Collcutt, noted for the Savoy Hotel and Palace Theatre, had prepared designs that would complete the college facing onto Wye High Street. Unlike his dramatic earlier work these buildings drew from Arts and Crafts themes incorporating traditional materials.[4]
: 26, 27 
West quadrangle built out to the college boundary, including a
drawing office and common room. A new chemistry wing (Lecture Room C) constructed to the north east and 30 student rooms provided on the first floor.[3]
: 84–87 

Oxford contemporary Malcolm Dunstan, formerly director of the Midland Agricultural and Dairy Institute.[41]
: 181 

Hall's departure was promptly followed by opening botany lecturer and vice-principal John Percival who moved to the University of Reading and became founding father of the faculty of agriculture there. Seeds Percival took with him formed the nucleus of a native European wheat variety collection eventually numbering over 2,500 varieties in the 1930s.[53]: 14, 15, 21 

micro-organism activity in a soil sample. However, he too departed in 1907 taking up an invitation to rejoin Hall at Rothamstead.[54]: 461, 470  In 1968, Wye College's Russell Laboratories were named for him.[3]
: 122 

In 1903, the college appointed C S Orwin its lecturer in

double entry book-keeping was then a part of the curriculum.[41]
: 187 

1904 Workshops for practical instruction (latterly parts of the maintenance and housekeeping department) constructed along Olantigh Road to the north east of existing buildings.[3]: 90 
1906 Construction of north and south quadrangles with gymnasium on the later dining hall site. The enclosure comprised research laboratories; offices (Agriculture Department), and student rooms on the first floor.[3]: 92–95 
1912 North, and part of the east, to what would become the front quadrangle, constructed incorporating research laboratory and student space.[3]: 96–99 

In 1913,

botanist V H Blackman of Imperial College. Ronald Hatton was appointed director of the station in 1914 and remained in post for the rest of his career. Hatton prioritised basic research; was concerned about the conditions of horticultural workers like fellow socialist Hall, and merely tolerated requests for practical advice from growers. The station became independent of the college in 1921.[43]
: 123–128 

1914 Gateway and porters' lodge constructed completing the college's front quadrangle.[3]: 99, 100 

The 1894 premises included

: 69, 86, 109, 110 

During

Red Cross supply depot[3]: 101  was organised by Mrs Barnard of Withersdane Hall[55] and principal Dunstan's daughter Hester.[4]: 34  The War Office presented the college with a German field gun in gratitude.[3]
: 101 

Malcolm Dunstan left Wye in 1922 to lead the

1924 Southern Table Poultry Research Station opened[43]: 104  by the National Poultry Institute, with funding from Government and British Poultry Council.[42]: 165  Initial research was on suitable nutrition for the birds.[43]: 104 
1925 Pig research unit established.
bee-keeping and even production of pigeons for meat, was considered part of horticulture.[43]
: 166 
Row of Houses (Squires) to north of the college on Olantigh Road purchased. They had been built in 1905.[3]: 104 
Taper of land north of the college to the Occupation Road crossroads purchased[3]: 104, 105  from Erle-Drax family as a part of their disposal of Wye Court and other Olantigh Estate property.[58] Initially the space was used as garden, but would be developed as laboratories and the New Lecture Theatre.[3]: 104, 105 

Lord Northbourne joined the college's board of governors in 1925. He was also on the board of future merger partner Swanley Horticultural College and remained a governor of Wye College until 1965.[59]

1927 Amage, Coldharbour and Silks Farm purchased,[57] again likely from the Erle-Drax family.[36]
1935 Guinness Laboratories constructed, north of the main college buildings,[3]: 111  for the Hop Research Department.[57] Works were funded by the eponymous brewing company and opened by the Earl of Iveagh in 1936.[3]: 111  The vaguely Arts and Crafts design was considered old fashioned at the time, particularly for a scientific research building isolated from the original college's medieval fabric.[4]: 28 

Ahead of war in 1939, Betteshanger Summer School visited the college farm. Lord Northbourne, originator of the term organic farming, hosted a biodynamic agriculture study week and was governor of the college.[60]: 17 

During

Catholic Mass, the first time it had been celebrated in the village of Wye since the Reformation.[9]
: 69 

With the end of hostilities

Former

archeological society[64]: 131  and beagle pack.[65]
: 74 

Skilbeck was joined by

plant growth regulators and insecticides.[6]: 447, 449, 451–453 [66]

1947 Construction of premises for the
National Agricultural Advisory Service at the north-west corner of the estate, along Olantigh Road. The service took over agricultural extension tasks the college had performed for the south-east of England, albeit co-located and in close co-operation.[46]

In 1947, the South Eastern Agricultural College formally amalgamated with Swanley Horticultural College as the School of Agriculture and Horticulture within the University of London. Swanley College's former premises had been heavily damaged during World War II and it was decided to rebuild at a combined college rather than in Swanley.[6]: 444 

Principals of the South Eastern Agricultural College
Alfred Daniel Hall 1894–1902[41]: 181 
Malcolm Dunstan 1902–1922[41]: 181 
Robert Wilson 1922–1940[56]
Dunstan Skilbeck 1945–1948[6]: 453 

Wye College

Dining Hall with bell, 1984

On 13 September 1948 Wye College was incorporated, by

King George VI, a full institution of the University of London as The College of St Gregory and St Martin at Wye generally known as "Wye College". Its objects included:-[67]

...providing for persons of both sexes instruction and means of research in all or any of the subjects relating to the practice and science of agriculture and horticulture comprised in the Faculty of Science of the University of London and in such other subjects of or cognate to a University Education in Agriculture and Horticulture as may be decided upon from time to time by the Governing Body of Wye College.

The major impact for the college was a cessation of short and diploma courses in favour of entirely degree-level education,

agricultural college that "happened to have a network of international contacts" to a truly "national and international" establishment combining the "practical and academic".[7]
: 487 

1948 Three storey student accommodation block incorporating warden's flat constructed at
hall of residence.[7]
: 488 

In 1951, a room behind the college's

consecrated by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury. Paintings to be hung on the walls were provided by principal Dunstan Skilbeck's father and pews salvaged from the collapsed Eastwell Church. It had been a toilet before earlier transformation to small laboratory.[64]: 13  There has been speculation this room was originally the chantry's library.[18]

The refurbishment featured a stained glass window designed by

: 10 

The chapel was reconsecrated in 1997,[4]: 6  and under 2021's planning permission is to be "available for public worship for four services per month and an annual heritage open day".[70]: 18 

1952 National Fruit Collection established at Brogdale with Wye College as the scientific partner. In spite of Government proposals to close Brogdale ADAS in 1989 and move the collection to Wye as of 2015, the collection remains at Brogdale managed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and University of Reading.[42]: 196 [71]
1954 Gymnasium demolished and replaced by (or converted to) a dining hall
wood panelling designed by Lord Northbourne. The external brick and stone architecture is subtly different on each side to reflect the various buildings facing it.[4]
: 27, 33 

In 1954, Gerald Wibberley was appointed head of the Department of Economics. He led a move to broaden the college's interest in land use and explored alternatives to a farming first philosophy, sometimes causing conflict with the national agricultural establishment[72] and colleagues promoting Wye's agricultural chemistry tradition.[6]: 454  With associate Robin Best who for the first time accurately measured urban land area and loss of farmland, Wibberley drew particular early ire in the garden controversy, an exploration of capacity for food security from productive modern farming; the role of domestic gardens, and the potential for releasing farmland to other purposes.[73][72][74][75]

Alongside his roles at the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas, and as

planning applications, Wibberley continued at the college until 1985.[72] His work led to expansion of social science research and teaching at Wye with new Rural Environmental Studies and Landscape Ecology, Design and Maintenance courses, and ultimately business management options.[11][72]

1957 Court Lodge farm and manor house at Brook purchased for £20,500, adding 194 acres (79 ha) to the college estate. The house was refurbished as residence for the principal.[76][7]: 488 
1961 Construction of single storey research and teaching laboratories, and New Lecture Theatre, alongside diagonal footpath at north of college.[3]: 117 
Agricultural Research Council Unit of Plant Nutrition and Morphogenesis moved to Wye College under Francis John Richards.[77]: 434, 435  It initially operated from the Guinness Laboratories before relocating to the purpose built Russell Laboratories in 1968.[3]
: 122 
1968 Harry Darling replaces Dunstan Skilbeck as principal.[64]: 130.131  Darling was a committed Christian[78] and had been Professor of Agriculture at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria. During his tenure the College's character changed substantially. Domestic students were joined by 200 from some 50 countries overseas.[9]: 79 
Russell Laboratories opened facing Olantigh Road north of the Occupation Road junction. Named for Sir John Russell.[3]: 122 
Undergraduate Rural Environment Studies course commenced, commonly known both by its acronym RES and alternative expansion "Real Easy Studies".[79][80][81]: 24 
Wye College research greenhouses on Occupation Road, 1983

The Wye Double Digger was developed at Wye College in the 1970s, for

soil nutrients. The powered blades help provide forward propulsion for the share.[82] Wye's Double Digger was tested around the world, notably at Purdue University. A business was established to market it, and commercial two furrow version built, before development ceased.[83]

1974 Students' union building opened.[3]: 124 
1975 CEAS premises built at Withersdane Hall.[62]: 97 

In 1977, the college appointed Ian Lucas as principal to replace Harry Darling. Darling's departure was marked by a farewell above Wye village, on the

University College of North Wales where he had been Professor of Agriculture. During his 11 years at Wye student enrollment increased 40%.[8]

During the early 1980s, Government spending cuts led to a series of mergers between University of London colleges. In spite of Wye being among the very smallest, and persistent concerns that agriculture was not "a fit subject to study at university", it was spared a merger because of physical isolation outside the capital and the absence of course overlap / potential cost savings with sister London colleges.[7]: 487, 489 

1986 Lloyds Bank hall of residence opened at Withersdane Hall.[62]: 98 
New Lecture Theatre expanded and renamed Carr Lecture Theatre for Stephen and Ann Carr who assisted the scheme.[11]: 17 
1989 Wolfson Lecture Theatre completed.[11]: 17 [86]: 5 
1992 Dunstan Skilbeck Hall opened at Withersdane Hall named for the former principal, followed the next year by adjoining Bernard Sunley Hall / Garden Hall. The latter scheme was assisted by the Bernard Sunley Foundation and included larger, family accommodation for postgraduates.[62]: 98 
1996 Principal's house, Court Lodge, sold for £300,000 as a private dwelling.[87]

In 1996, Natural Resources International Ltd was incorporated in partnership with

Imperial College, and the universities of Edinburgh and Greenwich, to take over overseas development training and consulting services formerly provided by the Government's Overseas Development Agency Natural Resources Institute. Turnover in the first year was £25.9 million rising to £26.8 million by the time of the college's merger with Imperial College. Clients included the Department for International Development, World Bank, European Union, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and other state and commercial bodies.[88][89]

Kempe Centre, 2013

In 1997 the Kempe Centre, named for Cardinal

RIBA award, with praise for its aesthetic grandeur and environmental efficiency.[90] It subsequently formed the nucleus of Wye School.[91]

Of the £4 million projected cost only £750,000 came from the

: 17, 18 

According to Imperial College's account of the "World Class Merger" in 2000, Wye College had students enrolled from 50 countries; 477 undergraduates; 259 postgraduates, and 200 on short courses. The growing External Programme had registered 975 mid-career professionals from 120 countries.[11]: 7 

Principals of Wye College
Dunstan Skilbeck 1948–1968[64]: 130.131 
Harry Darling 1968–1977[64]: 130.131 [85]
Ian Lucas 1977–1988[84]
John Prescott 1988–2000[85]: 25 

Imperial College at Wye

Former Wye College library, 2013

In 2000, Wye College merged with

London University.[11]
: 26, 27 

Justifications for the merger from Wye College's side were largely an aspiration to achieve financial resilience through scale. There was anticipated decline in demand for domestic agricultural qualifications. Government intended to withdraw from funding

pure sciences; reduce per capita student payments generally; weight them away from the subjects taught at Wye, and move to annual rather than five yearly funding arrangements. The college governors felt these measures would disproportionately and adversely impact small agricultural teaching and research institutions like Wye.[11]
: 8–20 

Apart from Imperial College, mergers were considered with

University of Kent at Canterbury and University of Greenwich. The governors concluded that Imperial College, like Wye a constituent College of the University of London, complemented Wye most closely. The colleges were already partners in Natural Resources International, though so too was Greenwich. Imperial College was publicly enthusiastic.[11]
: 21 

Commemoration Ball at Withersdane Hall, 1984

In spite of reporting an

net assets of £18.24 million. It had doubled annual revenue in those years to £12.65 million and pivoted away from a dependency on traditional agricultural science courses. The college had just invested £5.5 million in new facilities, and a further £2 million preparing 50 postgraduate courses for the External Programme.[11]
: 17, 19, 25 

Imperial College briefly used Wye College's origins to dubiously claim the status of third-oldest university in England.[4]: 28 

Sir Richard Sykes was appointed new rector of Imperial College in 2000. He visited Wye and expressed enthusiasm for investment in academic facilities there, placing the campus in the short lived Life Sciences faculty that arose from his early reorganisation of Imperial College.[11]: 28 [92]

Nevertheless, 25% of academic staff at Wye were offered redundancy terms and took them. Worse still, Imperial College inadvertently did not include Wye undergraduate courses in its prospectus so admissions plummeted in 2000 and 2001.[11]: 22, 28 

As early as January 2001, Imperial College privately declared the 2000 merger a mistake and sought

technical college.[11]: 30  As a result of these problems newly installed provost, Tim Clark resigned to be replaced by Jeff Waage.[93] In public however, Imperial College began promoting Wye to potential students.[11]
: 30–31 

The Higher Education Funding Council did agree to meet legitimate costs Imperial College incurred in the 2000 merger. Imperial claimed £10.2 million. In 2002, the sum to be paid was settled at £2.5 million.[11]: 31 

During a 2003 lecture to civil engineering students Sykes expressed concern about the integration of Wye College into Imperial College and stated it was not a part of his vision for Imperial College. By then student admissions to Wye were at record high levels, notably from EU residents on Agricultural Business Management courses, and research income was growing.[11]: 33, 34, 44 

The campus met its first set of financial targets but was disadvantaged by Imperial College's policy to allocate property and occupancy costs at a flat rate across all its sites. Intensively used city centre premises in South Kensington were being charged the same rate per floor area as the many acres of glasshouses at Wye. In private, Imperial College rejected Wye's Department of Agricultural Science business plan for 2004 / 2005.[11]: 31–33 

Commemoration Ball bar at Withersdane Hall, 1985

In 2004

grades among applicants for agriculture courses. Critics argued these were all matters well known to Imperial College before merger.[94][11]: 33–44 [95]

Provosts of Imperial College at Wye
Tim Clark 2000–2001[93]
Jeff Waage 2001–2004[11]: 29, 42 [96]

Imperial College scheme

In 2005, Imperial College announced it intended to convert Wye College's estate into a research centre for

Ashford Borough Council.[97] Later accounts included commercial biofuel production facilities on Wibberley Way and BP suggested as putative partner / operator. Leaked documents revealed Imperial College expected to gain £100 million by building 4,000 houses on 250 acres (100 ha) in the Kent Downs, provoking national as well as local opposition.[98][99]

Imperial College's project team had spent at least £850,000 on external consultants preparing their Wye Park masterplan, and subsequently paid Bell Pottinger to lobby regional and national government in its favour.[11]: 47 

The plan was seen as a test case for other attempts to build on

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In 2006, Ashford Borough Council withdrew support, and Imperial College abandoned its plans. Campaigners hailed the decision as a key victory preserving the status of protected areas, and Wye as a village.[98]

Closure

In 2007, the University of Kent ran undergraduate business management courses from Wye College though these were later transferred them to its main campus.[100][101] The following year science staff relocated from Wye to Imperial College's South Kensington or Silwood Park sites.[57] and in 2009, the last students graduated and Wye College campus closed. Thereafter Imperial College sought to develop the estate, or to find suitable tenants for it.[102]

The main village properties were sold to Telereal Trillium in 2015.[103] They sold Squires Hostel as three dwellings; Wolfson Hostel as a site for six houses; the buildings opposite the college on High Street, and the pig, sheep and poultry (Agricultural Field Station / Farm Mechanisation Unit) units sold.[104]

In 2021, Telereal Trillium obtained

endowment fund retains ownership of the Wye College farmland.[1]

Estate and facilities

Mug decoration for Alice themed Commemoration Ball in Withersdane Hall foyer, 1985

Wye College's estate extended to about 390 hectares (960 acres), largely between the villages of Wye and Brook. The college farmed approximately 300 hectares (740 acres), and 25 hectares (62 acres) was employed for horticulture, both on a commercial basis. The remainder accommodated hop gardens, woodland, recreation space, research facilities and buildings.[10]

Withersdane gardens, 1983

By 1984, the college owned much of Wye village across the High Street from its main entrance, over to Bridge Street and some premises on Oxenturn Road. That was variously used for administration, student hostels, car parking, a clinic, laundry and offices. Outside the village Wye College owned the

SSSI site at Wye Crown and quarry.[81][3]: 121 [10]

By 2005, teaching and research resources included extensive

soil analysis, and plant/animal cell culture.[105] Research was carried out at dairy, pig, hop and sheep enterprises on the college's farm; in the horticulture department; on the chalk grasslands, and among commercial crops.[10]

Layout

Ground floor layout plan of Wye College main campus 1982[81]

Student accommodation

Daniel Hall Hostel, 1983

Student bedrooms were provided at Withersdane Hall, or on the first floor of the main campus above teaching and administration space. Alternatively, the college owned student hostels in Wye village. Some of the hostels were self catering. Other student accommodation was available in college and privately owned houses.[81]: 27–29 [106]

Old Flying Horse

Old Flying Horse student accommodation, 1983

The hostel directly facing the main college entrance across High Street had been an

medieval hall-house. Fourteenth century painted decoration and a dais canopy to protect guests from falling soot and sparks survived into the 20th century.[107]
: 224 

Student hostel, sometime house and Inn. Late C14 altered C16,

Cloister

  1. ^ Should refer to Wye Church not college

Painted glass

Wye College main quadrangle, Christmas 1983

In about 1996, it was discovered the low ground floor window from the college's cloistered quadrangle to

medieval painted glass and bore the crest of both's founder, Cardinal Kempe. The window was in a precarious position by the publicly accessible churchyard on the one side, and in a space used for student parties and ball games on the other. The college decided to replace it with a modern replica and sell the original. York Minster purchased the medieval glass at auction and incorporated it in their new Zouche Chapel, with other glasswork relating to Kempe.[110]

Latin School

Latin School from Church Street, 2012

Grade I listed[111]

The building may not have consistently been used as a schoolroom. As early as the 16th century, references suggest it was employed as a chapel.[18] In 1903, a brick extension was added to accommodate a billiard table. The existing jacobean fireplace was moved and incorporated into the new structure.[4]: 25, 27 

During

General Montgomery.[4]: 35 [61]
: 27 

Following college closure the Latin School was briefly occupied by community group Wye Heritage, as an exhibition and event space, but in 2021 Telereal Trillium obtained planning permission for conversion to residential use.[12]

Old Hall

Alice in Wonderland
, 1985

Hall: renewed screen passage at southern end, with C15

Grade I listed[109]