Studley Castle Horticultural College for Women, 1910.
Source: Windows on Warwickshire (click for original)
Update: Carrie de Silva of Harper Adams University College has assembled a more complete and thorough list than the one which appears below. It is available online in pdf here. Like the list below, she emphasizes that her chronology is tentative, and is open to correction.
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A few weeks ago, I spent some time chopping together a list and outline history of the various agricultural colleges founded in Britain and Northern Ireland, generally culled from various sources on the internet. I have fairly reliable foundation dates for all but a few. The actual names of the institutions are harder to nail down, because not only did they change, but they seem to have been referred to variously by the name of the county in which they were located, the farm on which they were built, or perhaps the village or town which they were near. Further, sometimes a generic name like “farm institute” will be applied to a place that’s really maybe called an “agricultural college” or “farm school”. But, rather than wait to polish all this up through intensive research, I’ve assembled my tentative list in this post in case it may be of use to anyone.
I believe this to be pretty comprehensive (a few local agriculture courses notwithstanding), though I think a few might have been created after the 1960s where this list cuts off. These institutions are important to know about, by the way, since at least as many agricultural experts associated with the state seem to have come from these institutions, as from full-fledged agricultural programs at universities. The colleges should be thought of as highly regional institutions — although in many ways important for educating people who linked the state to the local administration of its policies, they have doubtless been more associated with rural communities and local agricultural industry.
Finally, note that British Pathé has two films (update: three films, actually) of life at these colleges. The Media Archive for Central England also has one.
Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester (1845)
Aspatria Agricultural College, Cumberland (1874-1914)
Set up by local landowners, never funded by the Board of Agriculture
Downton Agricultural College, near Salisbury (1880-1906)
A private college
Web: http://www.southwilts.com/site/downtonbuildings/BREAMORE-ROAD.htm
Tamworth Agricultural College and Training Farm, (1886-1914)
A private college established by the Sillito brothers
Swanley Horticultural College, Kent (1889-1945)
1889: Established
1891: Women students admitted
1903: Attendance limited to women
1945: Absorbed into Wye College
1949: Land purchased by Kent County Council for a new Horticulture Institute
Article: Donald L. Opitz, “‘A Triumph of Brains over Brute’: Women and Science at the Horticultural College, Swanley, 1890-1910” Isis 104 (2013): 30-62.
Film at: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/land-students-in-training
Cheshire School of Agriculture (1890)
also known as Reaseheath Farm Institute
1890: Agricultural Instruction Committee established in Cheshire
Later renamed Worleston Dairy Institute
1895: Holmes Chapel College of Agriculture established in association with University of Manchester
1919: Activities transferred to Reaseheath Hall
1921: Renamed Cheshire School of Agriculture
1926: Closure of Worleston Dairy Institute
1967: Becomes Reaseheath College
Lancashire College of Agriculture (1892)
1892: Agricultural courses established by county council at Preston Institute for the Diffusion of Knowledge (Harris Institute) in Avenham
1894: Lancashire County Institute of Agriculture established at Hutton south of Preston
1948: Winmarleigh Hall added to school
1967: Renamed Lancashire College of Agriculture
1969: College reopens as a new site at Myerscough
1979: Renamed Lancashire College of Agriculture and Horticulture
1993: Incorporated independent of county council as Myerscough College
1997: Winmarleigh site abandoned*
1999: Hutton site sold
Web: http://www.myerscough.ac.uk/?page=history
East Anglian Institute of Agriculture, Chelmsford (1893)
1893: Established as Essex Technical Laboratories
Other names: Essex Institute of Agriculture, Writtle Agricultural College; now Writtle College
Uckfield Agricultural and Horticultural College (1894-1915)
1894: Established by Sussex County Council
1915: College closed
The county council replaced Uckfield with the East Sussex Agricultural Institute
Web: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=179-pac&cid=0#0
South Eastern Agricultural College, Wye (1894-2009)
2000: Removed from independence within University of London system; becomes Imperial College at Wye
2009: Closed by Imperial College London
Ridgmont Agricultural Institute, Bedfordshire (1895-1911)
Possibly Ridgmont Farm School
1896: Opens to students
1911: Closes after its funds are embezzled
Web: http://www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/CommunityAndLiving/ArchivesAndRecordOffice/CommunityArchives/Ridgmont/WarrenFarmAndTheAgriculturalInstituteRid.aspx
Midland Agricultural (and Dairy) College, Sutton Bonington (1895)
1895: Midland Dairy Institute established at Kingston-on-Soar
1905: Name changed to Midland Agricultural and Dairy College
1913: Expansion planned at Sutton Bonington; buildings completed in 1915
1943: Enters into close relationship with University of Nottingham, Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture
1946: Advisory staff move to Shardlow Hall, Derbyshire
1948: The College is absorbed into the newly chartered University of Nottingham
Web: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/biosciences/schoolinformation/history.aspx
Cumberland and Westmorland Farm School, Newton Rigg (1896)
aka. Newton Rigg Farm School
2011: Activities at Newton Rigg campus transferred from University of Cumbria to Askham Bryan College
Hampshire Farm Institute, Sparsholt, Winchester (1899)
1899: Establishment of Hampshire Farm School in Basing, by Hampshire County Council
1914: Transfer to Westley Farm, Sparsholt
now Sparsholt College
Web: http://www.sparsholt.ac.uk/pages/template.aspx?idSection=54&idPage=36
West of Scotland Agricultural College (1899)
1899: Established from Agricultural Department of Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College (est. 1887) and Scottish Dairy Institute
1900: Located at Blythswood Square, Glasgow
1927: College obtains Auchincruive/Girvan estate in Ayr
1974: Blythwood Square site closed
1990: Merged with North of Scotland College of Agriculture and East of Scotland College of Agriculture to form Scottish Agricultural College, which retains original campuses
Edinburgh and East of Scotland Agricultural College (1901)
1901: Established, absorbs Edinburgh School of Rural Economy, which had begun offering extension courses in 1894.
1990: Merged with West of Scotland Agricultural College and North of Scotland Agricultural College to form the Scottish Agricultural College, which retains the original campuses.
Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport (1901)
contains National Institute of Poultry Husbandry
now Harper Adams University College
Studley Castle Horticultural and Agricultural College for Women (1903-1969)
1898: Coleyhurst hostel (Lady Warwick Hostel) offers agricultural training to women in association with Reading College
1902: Association with Reading College broken
1903: Lady Warwick College opens at Studley Castle
1908: Named changed to Studley College
1926: Official recognition by Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
1969: Closed
For more information, see: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=007-war5&cid=0#0
Also: http://edwardianpromenade.com/education/lady-warwicks-horticultural-agricultural-college-for-women/
Also: Anne Meredith, “Horticultural Education in England, 1900-1940: Middle-Class Women and Private Gardening Schools,” Garden History 31 (2003): 67-79.
North of Scotland Agricultural College, Aberdeen (1904)
1904: Established
1990: Merged with West of Scotland Agricultural College and North of Scotland Agricultural College to form the Scottish Agricultural College, which retains the original campuses.
Greenmount Agricultural College, Antrim (1912)
1912: Established as Antrim Agricultural School
Later Greenmount Agricultural College
2004: Greenmount merges with Loughry and Enniskillen agricultural colleges to form the College of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Enterprise
Monmouthshire Institute of Agriculture (and Horticulture), Usk (1913)
Also known as Usk College of Agriculture
Presently part of Coleg Gwent
Madryn Castle Farm School, Pwllheli/Glynllifon Agricultural Institute (1913)
1913: Established by Caernarvonshire County Council
1952: Closed and moved to Plas Glynllifon, becoming Glynllifon Agricultural Institute
1954: Renamed Glynllifon Agricultural College later Coleg Glynllifon
1993: Merged with Coleg Meironnydd to form Coleg Meiron-Dwyfor; Glynllifon campus retained
2010: Coleg Meiron-Dwyfor merges with Coleg Llandrillo Cymru
Seale-Hayne Agricultural and Technical College, Newton Abbot (1915-2005)
1919: Opens to students
1978: Name changed to Seale-Hayne College
1989: Joins with Plymouth Polytechnic, and incorporated into Polytechnic South-West
1992: Becomes Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Land-Use at new University of Plymouth
2005: The University of Plymouth closes the college
Llyfasi Farm Institute, Ruthin (1919)
1920: Officially opens as Llyfasi Farm Institute under the Denbighshire County Council
c1967: Renamed Llyfasi College of Agriculture*
2010: Merger of Llyfasi College with Deeside College
Web: http://www.deeside.ac.uk/llysfasi/history.php
Sittingbourne Farm Institute/Kent Farm and Horticulture Institute (c1919)
1919: Land purchased at Grove End Farm, Tunstall, near Sittingbourne for the Sittingbourne Farm Institute, Kent Farm Institute, or occasionally Borden Farm Institute
1929: Nearby Borden Grammar School is occupied by the Farm Institute
Web: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/09/a1993809.shtml
1949: Swanley property purchased, forming the Swanley Horticultural Institute or Kent Horticultural Institute
1958: The farm and horticultural institutes merge to form the Kent Farm and Horticulture Institute
1960: Property purchased at Hadlow to bring the two institutes closer together
1966: The agricultural institute moves to Hadlow
1967: The horticultural institute moves to Hadlow, and the combined institute is renamed the Hadlow College of Agriculture and Horticulture
Presently Hadlow College
Chadacre Agricultural Institute, Hartest, Bury St. Edmonds (1920-1989)
1920: Founded by Edward Guinness, First Earl of Iveagh
1989: Closed
Web: http://www.chadacre-trust.org.uk/index.htm
Rodbaston Farm Institute (1921)
Also known as Staffordshire Farm Institute, Rodbaston
1921: Established as Rodbaston Farm Institute under Staffordshire County Council
1967: Renamed Staffordshire College of Agriculture
1994: Becomes independent, renamed Rodbaston College
Presently part of South Staffordshire College
For additional information, see the note below by Tim Johnson.
Hertfordshire Agricultural Institute, Oaklands, St. Albans (1921)
1921: Founded as Hertfordshire Agricultural Institute by the Hertfordshire County Council
Later named Hertfordshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture
Also known as Oaklands Farm Institute
1991: Hertfordshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture merged with De Havilland College and St. Albans City College to form Oaklands College
Somerset Farm Institute at Cannington Court (1921)
1921: Established
Later called Cannington College
Evidently merged into Brymore School and Cannington Centre for Land-Based Studies at Bridgwater College
Northamptonshire Farm Institute, Moulton (1921)
1921: Established as Northamptonshire Farm Institute
Later called Northamptonshire Agricultural College
Presently Moulton College
East Sussex School of Agriculture/Plumpton College of Agriculture (1926)
1919: Estate bought by the county council
1926: First intake of students at East Sussex Agricultural Institute
1934: Renamed East Sussex School of Agriculture
1967: Renamed Plumpton Agricultural College
Presently part of Plumpton College
Film (1967): http://www.britishpathe.com/video/farming-school
Web: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=179-pac&cid=0#0
Web: http://www.plumpton.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.aspx?PageClass=Information&PageID=445&PageTitle=College%20History&DepartmentID=117
Durham College of Agriculture and Horticulture, Houghall (1938)
Also known as Houghall College; possibly earlier as Durham School of Agriculture, Houghall
1999: Incorporated as part of East Durham and Houghall Community College
Now known as East Durham College
Surrey Farm Institute, Merrist Wood (1945)
1945: Founded as Surrey Farm Institute, Merrist Wood, Worplesdon
1967: Renamed Merrist Wood Agricultural College
2003: Becomes part of Guildford College
Web: http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/collections/getrecord/SHCOL_5387
Shuttleworth Agricultural College (1946-1996)
1988: Absorbed into Cranfield Rural Institute of Cranfield Institute of Technology
1996: Shuttleworth activities transferred to Silsoe College
Web: http://www.shuttleworth-sca.co.uk/index.php?page=history-of-the-college
Bicton Farm Institute/Agricultural College, East Budleigh, Devonshire (1947)
Also known as Devon School of Agriculture
1947: Established as Bicton Farm Institute
1967: Renamed Bicton Agricultural College
2002: Renamed Bicton College
Web: http://www.bicton.ac.uk/about/history_of_bicton_college.php
Warwickshire Institute of Agriculture, Moreton Morrell (c1948)
Presently Moreton Morrell Centre of Warwickshire College
Kesteven Farm Institute, Caythorpe Court (1948-2002)
1948: Established
c1965: Renamed Kesteven Agricultural College
1980: Amalgamated with Lindsey College of Agriculture and Holbeach Agricultural Centre to form the Lincolnshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture
1994: Absorbed into De Montfort University as its School of Agriculture
2001: Lincolnshire School of Agriculture moves from De Montfort to the University of Lincoln
2002: Caythorpe campus closed; activities relocated to the Riseholme College campus
Web: http://www.parksandgardens.ac.uk/component/option,com_parksandgardens/task,site/id,740/tab,history/Itemid,/
Yorkshire Institute of Agriculture/Askham Bryan College of Agriculture and Horticulture (1948)
1948: Opens to students as Yorkshire Institute of Agriculture
1967: Renamed Askham Bryan College of Agriculture and Horticulture
Presently Askham Bryan College
Derbyshire Farm Institute/Broomfield Agricultural College (1948)
Later called Broomfield Agricultural College
2002: Merged with Mackworth Tertiary College and Wilmorton Tertiary College to form Derby College; Broomfield campus retained
Gloucestershire Farm Institute (1948)
1948: Established as Gloucestershire Farm Institute at Hartpury House
Later called Hartpury College
Dorset Farm Institute, Kingston Maurward (1949)
Later changes names, likely to Dorset College of Agriculture
Presently Kingston Maurward College
Shropshire Farm Institute (1949)
1979: Renamed Walford College of Agriculture*
2001: Merger with North Shropshire College to form Walford and Northshropshire College
Film (1952-3): http://www.macearchive.org/Archive/Title/shropshire-farm-institute-walford/MediaEntry/181.html
Web: http://www.wnsc.ac.uk/index.php?id=2234
Norfolk School of Agriculture/College of Agriculture and Horticulture, Easton (1949)
1949: Established as Norfolk School of Agriculture
Also known as Norfolk Farm Institute
Later Norfolk Colleges of Agriculture and Horticulture
1974: Easton College formed by merger of Norfolk College of Agriculture and Norfolk College of Horticulture
Riseholme Farm Institute/Lindsey Agricultural College (1949)
1949: Established
Renamed Lindsey Farm Institute
1966: Renamed Lindsey College of Agriculture
1980: Merged with Kesteven Agricultural College and Holbeach Agricultural Centre to form the Lincolnshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture
1994: Absorbed into De Montfort University as its School of Agriculture
2001: Lincolnshire School of Agriculture moves from De Montfort to the University of Lincoln
Web: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/riseholmecollege/Non%20Course%20Pages/history.htm
Berkshire Institute of Agriculture (1949)
1949: Established
1968: Renamed Berkshire College of Agriculture
Web: http://www.bca.ac.uk/history-of-bca/
Wiltshire Farm Institute/Lackham School of Agriculture (1950)
1945: Lackham Farm purchased for use as a farm institute, but loaned for training of ex-servicemen
1950: Wiltshire Farm Institute founded under the county council
Name changed to Lackham School of Agriculture
c1966: Name changed to Lackham College of Agriculture following 1966 Pilkington Report
1993: Named changed to Lackham College
2000: Lackham, Trowbridge, and Chippenham Colleges merge to form Wiltshire College
Web: http://www.lackham.co.uk/history/documents.asp
Kirkley Hall Farm Institute/Northumberland College of Agriculture (1951)
1951: Established as Kirkley Hall Farm Institute
1968: Becomes Northumberland College of Agriculture
1989: Becomes Kirkley Hall College
2000: Becomes part of Northumberland College
Web: http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/friendsofkirkleyhall/
Golden Grove (Gelli Aur) Farm Institute, Carmarthenshire (1952)
1952: Founded as Golden Grove Farm Institute
Later Carmarthenshire Agricultural College
Gelli Aur Farm now part of Coleg Sir Gar
Pershore College (c1954)
1954: Founded as a horticultural station
2007: Merges into Warwickshire College, now Pershore Centre
Bishop Burton Agricultural College, Yorkshire (1954)
Presently Bishop Burton College
Norwood Hall Institute of Horticultural Education (1955)
1955: Founded as Norwood Hall Institute for Horticultural Education
Later part of Ealing Tertiary College
1996: Closed, students transferred to Capel Manor College
Web: http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.asp?ID=EAL037
Film (1960): http://www.britishpathe.com/video/norwood-hall-horticultural-school/query/Perry
National College of Agricultural Engineering/Silsoe College (1960)
1960: Established
1962: Opens at Boreham House, Chelmsford
1963: Moves to Silsoe
1975: Merges into Cranfield Institute of Technology
1983: Name changed to Silsoe College within Cranfield Institute of Technology
1987: Cranfield Rural Institute formed
1988: Shuttleworth College joins Cranfield Rural Institute
1999: Silsoe College becomes Cranfield University at Silsoe
2007: Silsoe farm retained; academic activities moved to main campus of Cranfield University.
Web: http://www1.bluemoose.org.uk/pmwiki.php
Otley Agricultural and Horticultural College (1960)
1960: Agricultural Research Centre established at Witnesham by the East Suffolk County Council
1970: Site moved to present location
1983: Name changed to Otley College of Agriculture and Horticulture*
Holme Lacy Agricultural College (1963)
1963: Founded
2007: Becomes Holme Lacy campus of Herefordshire College of Technology
Web: http://htt.herefordshire.gov.uk/smrSearch/Monuments/Monument_Item.aspx?ID=30474
Capel Manor Institute of Horticulture (1967)
1967: Founded as Capel Manor Institute of Horticulture
1986: Becomes Capel Manor College of Horticulture
1996: Becomes Capel Manor College
Cambridgeshire Farm College, Milton (1968)
1968: Cambridgeshire Farm College founded at Milton
1987: Merged with Isle of Ely College, Wisbech to form Cambridgeshire College of Agriculture and Horticulture
1998: Combines with Norfolk College of Arts and Technology
2006: Merges with Isle College, Wisbech, to form the College of West Anglia
Limited Information
Kirton Agricultural Institute (est. c 1925?)
aka Holland Farm Institute near Boston, Lincolnshire
Pibwrlwyd Farm Institute, Carmarthen
Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire (c1948)
Ethy, Barton, Cornwall