Writtle University College
Public
Established1893
Closed2024
Administrative staff100+ academic/teaching
15 Research
50+ other academic
80+ other
StudentsHE ()[1]
Undergrad()[1]
Postgrad()[1]
Other7,645 FE[2]
CityChelmsford
StateEssex
CountryUK
Head labelChancellor
HeadJimmy Doherty
ColoursScarlet and Bronze Yellow
Websitewrittle.ac.uk
AddressLordship Road, Writtle, Essex, CM1 3RR

Writtle University College was a university college located in Writtle near Chelmsford, Essex. It was founded in 1893 and obtained University College status in May 2016.[3]

In July 2023, Writtle University College announced a merger with Anglia Ruskin University,[4] and completed on 29 February 2024. ARU Writtle is one of the campuses of the university, alongside ARU Chelmsford, ARU Cambridge, ARU Peterborough, and ARU London.[4]

Its countryside estate features a wide range of facilities, including a working farm, an equine centre, science laboratories, design studios, a canine therapy clinic, a specialist animal unit[5] and sports provision including the UK's first permanent 3x3 basketball courts.[6]

History

Established in 1893, the college was originally known as County Laboratories, teaching agriculture and horticulture and becoming the County Technical Laboratories in 1903.

In 1912 it became East Anglian Institute of Agriculture. It changed its name to Essex Institute of Agriculture, Writtle in 1939 and moved to the Writtle Estate in 1940.

In 1914, teaching temporarily halted following the outbreak of the First World War. 'Writtle College, The First Hundred Years' by Clive Beale and Geoff Owen, states that some staff left to join the armed forces while others were seconded to the War Agricultural Committee, which had taken over the institute.[7]

During the Second World War, the Institute supported the Dig For Victory Campaign with advice on crop production, gardening, plant protection and livestock. The campus was also central to work carried out by the Women's Land Army in Essex and taught short, three week training courses.[8]

It became Writtle Agricultural College in 1969, Writtle College in 1989 and Writtle University College in 2016.[9]

In 2006 British artist Anne Schwegmann-Fielding installed a mosaic sculpture in the light well of the Northumberland Building foyer. Based on an aerial photograph of the college, the installation was the culmination of a 2005 Leverhulme Trust grant titled 'The Landscape of Mosaic' which also saw the development of a mosaic meadow which combined artist's source materials and wild flowers.[10][11]

Academic profile

The university college taught undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in subjects including:

  • Art
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Science
  • Animal Management
  • Canine Therapy
  • Equine
  • Horticulture
  • Sport & Exercise Science
  • Veterinary Physiotherapy

Further education courses included:

  • Apprenticeships
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Studies
  • Conservation (Land and Wildlife)
  • Equine
  • Floristry
  • Horticulture (Gardening and Landscaping)
  • Sport

Governance

Stephen Waite was appointed as the Principal in Spring 2013[12] and became Vice-Chancellor upon the college obtaining University status. He retired in August 2017 and was succeeded by Tim Middleton.[13]

Writtle University College was granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP) by the Privy Council in March 2015.[14]

Baroness Jenkin of Kennington became Writtle University College's Founding Chancellor in 2016. She was succeeded by farmer and television presenter Jimmy Doherty in 2022.[15] Celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh previously acted at the college's patron.[16]

Awards and achievements

  • The Writtle floristry team won the Gold award at the Royal Horticultural Society Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2012 for their exhibition entitled "Lady of Shallot"[17] and Silver the following year for their exhibition "Rock Around the Clock".[18]
  • The University College's further education horticulture students won a Gold award at the Royal Horticultural Society Young Gardeners of the Year competition in 2014, having previously won Silver in 2013 and 2012 and Bronze in 2011.[19][20] They then won 'Best in Show', 'Gold' and 'People's Choice' awards, presented by David Domoney, at the Ideal Home Show Young Gardeners of the Year competition in 2015.[21]
  • In 2019, Writtle University College was named the British Florist Association's 'Floristry Training Provider of the Year' and University College lecturer Elaine Thackray was awarded the title 'Floristry Tutor of the Year'.[22]
  • Writtle University College received one of England's highest student satisfaction ratings in the 2020 National Student Survey, when 92% of participating students agreed with the statement: "overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course”.[23][24]

In 2021, members of the student-run Gaia Club launched a campaign to plant over 700 new trees on Writtle University College's countryside estate.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ "Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06". Higher Education Statistics Agency online statistics. Archived 2007-05-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
  3. ^ "Writtle achieves University College status". Writtle College
  4. ^ "Anglia Ruskin and Writtle announce merger plan - ARU". www.aru.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
  5. ^ Bramwell, Tom (2020-09-21). "Putting science into practice at Writtle University College". EssexLive. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  6. ^ "First bespoke 3×3 courts in the UK open at Writtle University College". Hoopsfix.com. 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Women's Land Army in Essex in WW2". www.merseamuseum.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  9. ^ WCU 2017, 120 year timeline
  10. ^ "A Sciart collaboration: 'The Landscape of Mosaic', 2005". CADE. 2006. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  11. ^ "Mosaic Light Well". CADE. 2006. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  12. ^ "Dr Stephen Waite to join Writtle College as principal from Hartpury College"
  13. ^ "Writtle University College appoints new Vice-Chancellor". Writtle University College. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Writtle College gains degree awarding powers". 25 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Jimmy Doherty named the next Chancellor of Writtle University College". Agriland.co.uk. 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  16. ^ Mauro-Benady, Rafi (2021-08-11). "Alan Titchmarsh's special connection to a tiny Chelmsford college". EssexLive. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  17. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  18. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 October 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  19. ^ "College wins gold in the Young Gardeners of the Year at the Ideal Home Show 2014". Writtle University College
  20. ^ "Silver win in Ideal Young Gardeners of the Year!"
  21. ^ Kentish, Franky (20 March 2015). "Young Gardeners of the Year: meet the future Chelsea designers". The Daily Telegraph
  22. ^ "Industry awards and the winners are......". British Florist Association. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  23. ^ Students, Office for (2021-07-15). "National Student Survey 2020 results - Office for Students". www.officeforstudents.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  24. ^ Bramwell, Tom (2020-09-21). "Putting science into practice at Writtle University College". EssexLive. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  25. ^ "Students to plant over 700 new trees on Writtle University College's campus". www.hortweek.com. Retrieved 2022-03-07.

Bibliography