You might have noticed a few changes outside the Hartley Library over the past couple of weeks. If you’re wondering what we’re up to, well, we’re indulging in a little nostalgia.
This year, we are celebrating 100 years of Highfield Campus, and our landscaping team saw this as a great opportunity to combine the old and the new, with a transformative new landscape surrounding one of our historical aspects at the Hartley Library. The team has cleared away the dense hedging surrounding the Jubilee Garden, uncovering our striking Atlantes figures.
Comparison of the Atlantes in 2019 and 1862. Credit – Left: Karen Robson, Hartley Library, Right: Archives, Hartley Library
Did you know that these four figures were part of our founding Hartley Institution and are over 100 years old? Carved in the form of Atlas, the figures were originally constructed as part of the high street facade in 1862 and were later salvaged from the building and put into storage, before eventually being relocated to our Highfield Campus as a reminder of our University’s rich history.
If you look carefully at the image in the glass lobby of Hartley Library, you’ll see the figures in place at the opening of the Hartley Institute in 1862.
Karen Robson, Head of Archives at our University, tells us more about the decorative carvings:
“Atlas, in mythology, was destined to hold up the sky for all of eternity, and you’ll often see reference to this in typical Atlantes in both their expression and their pose, and you can see it in the figures we have here.
“They are part of our heritage, they link us with our past. In many ways we are looking forward, but it’s also nice to reflect on our past and where we’ve developed from. Showcasing these Atlantes is a great way to link our foundation institution with our forward-looking 21st century University. As the library is the hub of the University for many students, having the figures based there is very fitting. And as the building in front of which they stand was part of Highfield in 1919, there’s a wonderful symmetry.”
To mark the 100 years since Highfield Campus opened, our landscape team wanted to highlight these integral figures from our history.
Martin Wyss, Landscape Services Manager, says:
“The figures had been lost behind overgrown vegetation, and re-landscaping not only gave an opportunity to expose them but also to enhance the area to the south of the library. The landscaping team had been keen to refurbish the area for a while and it seemed a great opportunity to do the work to coincide with the 100 year anniversary event.”
The landscaping team will plant a bed of around 200 red roses to echo the original planting scheme around the Hartley Library, which will be fronted by a double row of English lavender. This combination of the scented roses and the lavender will help to provide a sensational experience for staff, students and visitors to our campus.
The landscaping works began at the end of February and are expected to be completed by early May.
Find out more about Highfield’s 100-year history on the Special Collections blog.
