The Vice-Chancellor's House is a house on Spring Lane in Heslington, York. It was originally built as on-site accommodation for the vice-chancellor of the University of York in 1964, close to the vice-chancellor's office in Heslington Hall.
| Vice-Chancellor's House | |
|---|---|
 The house | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Address | Vice Chancellors House, Spring Lane Heslington, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 5DZ |
| Coordinates | 53°56′46″N 1°03′05″W / 53.946118°N 1.051265°W |
| Current tenants | Vacant |
| Completed | 1964 |
| Owner | University of York |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Alan Balfour and Colin Beck |
| Architecture firm | Robert Matthew Johnson-Marshall and Partners |
History
editThe house was built for the university's first vice-chancellor, Baron James of Rusholme, the primary architect of the university, and his wife, Lady Cordelia James. Under the guidance of Lady James, the original internal furnishings were a careful mix of modern and traditional. A key feature of the house was the ability to host events and entertain guests to the university.[1] In May 1965, Jeremy Thorpe, the then leader of the Liberal Party, had a meeting with Lord James there, examining whether he would be suitable as a Liberal Whip in the House of Lords.[2]
In 2008, Tom Scott was elected president of the University of York Student Union under the persona of 'Mad Capt'n Tom'. One of his manifesto promises was to have a loaded cannon aimed at the Vice-Chancellor's House.[3] In 2010, concerns over the expenses of the then vice-chancellor, Brian Cantor, were raised. In all cases, the journey started or ended at the Vice-Chancellors House or Heslington Hall.[4] Successive vice-chancellors have lived in the house, but the current vice-chancellor, Charlie Jeffrey, chose not to. Instead, the house has been used by the university as student accommodation, as well as storage.[1] In January 2023, the house was the Twentieth Century Society's 'Building of the month.[1] The idea of using the house as a permanent art gallery, as opposed to the Norman Rea Gallery which only hosts temporary exhibits, has been muted, but so far no steps have been taken.[1]
Style
editThe early buildings at the university were constructed with the CLASP system, giving them a distinct brutalist appearance. In contrast, the Vice-Chancellor's House, while still contemporary, used bricks and a more traditional appearance to fit into its surroundings.[5] While the simple appearance of the student accommodation reflected their purpose of occupation by students for short periods, the traditional and more obviously domestic nature of the Vice-Channcellor's House reflected his commitment to the university and significant role in its everyday life.[6] However, this was not to everyone's taste, with Jeremy Thorpe describing it as "the back end of a crematorium".[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Burrows, Richard (January 2023). Mardell, Joshua (ed.). "Vice-Chancellor's House, University of York, – The Twentieth Century Society". c20society.org.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Thorpe at York". Nouse. 25 May 1967.
- ^ "York Student Television | Watch - Mad Cap'n Tom Scott". YSTV. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Goddard, Daniel (7 December 2010). "Vice-Chancellor's expenses paid for £70 one-mile journey". York Vision. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Balfour, Alan. "Alan Balfour' portfolio". alanbalfour. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Burrows, Richard. "The Jameses, the Vice-Chancellor's House and a New 'Aristocracy of Elites' – York C20". yorkc20. Retrieved 7 October 2023.