Urchfont Manor College
Encyclopedia
Urchfont Manor College is a residential college
for adult education which opened in 1947. The college is owned and operated by Wiltshire Council
; it is also used as a conference centre.
village of Urchfont
, about seven miles from the market town of Devizes
. First built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
, it was rebuilt between 1678 and 1700 by Sir William Pynsent, Member of Parliament
for Devizes
, in the Restoration style. The last of the Pynsent family, another Sir William Pynsent, died without an heir in 1765 and left his estates in Somerset
and Wiltshire to William Pitt the Elder
, in gratitude for Pitt's opposition to a new tax of ten shillings on each hogshead of cider. Pitt kept the Somerset estates at Burton Pynsent but sold his new property at Urchfont to the third Duke of Queensberry
, and the house was then occupied by tenants until it was bought by Simon Watson Taylor in 1843. In 1928, his heirs sold it to Hamilton Rivers Pollock (1884-1941), a barrister who lived there until his death. For the rest of the Second World War, Urchfont Manor was a home for children evacuated from London
, in 1945 it was bought by Wiltshire County Council
to establish an adult education
centre, which opened in 1947.
and some by partners such as the Workers Educational Association.
Other courses are put on by agencies working within the voluntary field and other agencies
as Local Education Authority, plus the Director of the college, one elected representative of the teaching staff, and a student member.
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
for adult education which opened in 1947. The college is owned and operated by Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
; it is also used as a conference centre.
Urchfont Manor
The house is near the WiltshireWiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
village of Urchfont
Urchfont
Urchfont is a small, rural village to the north of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, about seven miles from the market town of Devizes. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Wedhampton and Lydeway...
, about seven miles from the market town of Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
. First built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, it was rebuilt between 1678 and 1700 by Sir William Pynsent, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Devizes
Devizes (UK Parliament constituency)
Devizes is a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is now represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 in the House of Commons of England....
, in the Restoration style. The last of the Pynsent family, another Sir William Pynsent, died without an heir in 1765 and left his estates in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and Wiltshire to William Pitt the Elder
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
, in gratitude for Pitt's opposition to a new tax of ten shillings on each hogshead of cider. Pitt kept the Somerset estates at Burton Pynsent but sold his new property at Urchfont to the third Duke of Queensberry
Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry
Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry, 2nd Duke of Dover, PC was a Scottish nobleman.The son of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry, 1st Duke of Dover, and Mary Boyle, daughter of Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan, was a Privy Counsellor and Vice Admiral of Scotland.He took up the cause...
, and the house was then occupied by tenants until it was bought by Simon Watson Taylor in 1843. In 1928, his heirs sold it to Hamilton Rivers Pollock (1884-1941), a barrister who lived there until his death. For the rest of the Second World War, Urchfont Manor was a home for children evacuated from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in 1945 it was bought by Wiltshire County Council
Wiltshire County Council
Wiltshire County Council was the county council of Wiltshire in the South West of England, an elected local Government body responsible for most local government services in the county....
to establish an adult education
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
centre, which opened in 1947.
Courses
Courses at the college are in the areas of visual and performing arts and media and family learning. Most programmes are accredited. At any time, more than one thousand students are enrolled. Some courses are provided directly by the Local Education AuthorityLocal Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
and some by partners such as the Workers Educational Association.
Other courses are put on by agencies working within the voluntary field and other agencies
Management
The college is managed by a Management Board of governors, most appointed by Wiltshire CouncilWiltshire Council
Wiltshire Council is the unitary authority for most of the county of Wiltshire, in the West of England, the successor authority to Wiltshire County Council and to four districts—Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury, and West Wiltshire—all of which had been created in 1973 and were...
as Local Education Authority, plus the Director of the college, one elected representative of the teaching staff, and a student member.