Royal Agricultural College (Great Britain)

The Royal Agricultural College, the first such institution in the English speaking world, was founded in 1845 with the aim of introducing science into agriculture and educating the country's future farmers. Funds were raised by public subscription and the 4th Earl of Bathurst, the college's first president, leased a farm of 400 acres from his estate at Cirencester on which to build it. The college buildings were designed in Victorian Gothic style and the ancient farmhouse and 16th Century Tithe Barn were retained. Queen Victoria granted the College the Royal Charter and sovereigns have been Patrons ever since.

The early years were beset by financial difficulties, the first Principal was dismissed for incompetence and a number of Professors left due to the harsh regime imposed. On the outbreak of war, many staff and students enlisted and in 1915 the College closed for eight years. In 1923 it was officially re-opened by King George V and Queen Mary and among those who helped at the time was perhaps the greatest old student of all time, Viscount Bledisloe, who later became Governor-General of New Zealand.

In 1932 Robert Boutflour, C.B.E., became Principal and was responsible for expanding the College from 50 to 800 students. He raised substantial funds for new buildings and initiated the vital Diploma Course in Rural Estate Management. In 1939 the College was requisitioned by the Office of Works for the whole of the Second World War and used to accommodate the Royal Air Force. It was re-opened on its Centenary in 1945 with 80 new students, but this rose rapidly to 452 by the time Boutflour left in 1958.

The 1960s and 70s saw a further expansion of the College and subsequent rise in educational standards and in 1985 the first of many degree courses was started: a BSc (Hons) degree in Rural Land Management run in co-operation with Reading University. As well as agriculture, the College now runs courses in rural skills, business management, equine management, land management and tourism and students can study both for undergraduate degrees and post-graduate qualifications. Up until 2001 it was completely independent of government funding and raised money through tuition fees and by running conferences, functions and its farms, which now cover about 3200 acres.

From the guide to the Royal Agricultural College archive, 1845 - [ongoing], (Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester)