The University Archaeology Department will be moving from King’s Manor to the Berrick Saul Building on Campus West by September 2026. The relocation process has been a difficult decision due to the complexity of the Archaeology course, which requires various laboratories and digital laboratories. The Berrick Saul Building has been judged the best place for the department due to its accessibility, teaching spaces and potential for laboratory space.
University Archaeology staff have reiterated that accessibility is at the core of all discussions, and have organised meetings to explain the changes to students and welcome feedback. Student department representatives are planning on opening up discussions within groups of students affected, without the presence of members of staff, to talk about any further concerns that may arise regarding these changes.
According to one student within the Archaeology Department, the department has been “as open as possible with communicating the move.” They reiterated their relief due to the problems regarding accessibility being the main reason for the relocation, but also voiced their concerns for the current cohorts. They raised the issue that “any accessibility concerns really have now been put aside so to speak, and the attitude is to keep things as best as is possible within the circumstances.”
In a meeting with the Departmental Project Manager for the relocation project and the Head of the Archaeology Department and other departmental academics, staff expressed mixed feelings towards the relocation of the department. While they showed some relief to be moving to campus where issues of moving between different sites will not be a problem for students, staff and technicians, they were also excited to hand over King’s Manor as they hope to “still be a part of it” in future. Departmental staff highlighted their excitement for both the Berrick Saul Building and King’s Manor to have new leases of life, however they couldn’t hide some sadness to be leaving their former digs. They hope that soon the York public will be able to enjoy King’s Manor just as much as students and staff have for the last sixty years.
While the changes will not affect current students who began their undergraduate degree in 2023 or earlier, the department is dedicating time to communicating the changes to prospective students. Open days in the new year will also be seeing soon-to-be students learn of the new facilities that will be available in the Berrick Saul Building. A member of department staff, also a building archaeologist, commented that the Berrick Saul Building, built in 2009 and planned in part by English professor Jane Moody, is a friendly structure which encourages collegiality.
The ground and first floor of the Berrick Saul Building is to be dedicated to the Archaeology department, while the Wolfson centre for Child Development and Family Research, the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture and the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity (LCAB) will remain in the building on the second floor as these centres were accommodated around Archaeology teaching and research requirements.
The Archaeology Department has expressed gratitude to Prof Duncan Petrie, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, who has slowed down the relocation process so that each decision can be thoroughly thought through and not rushed.
A million pound grant has been secured in order to invest in a new DNA laboratory, to replace the existing one which is located within a walled garden.
King’s Manor library books and staff are due to be incorporated into the main University Library by September 2025, and this decision has been made mainly due to issues of staffing.
A spokesperson for the University of York University and College Union has commented that the union remains “very concerned about the lack of proper consultation with the unions on this issue,” and after requesting representation on the committee, they were left with no response.
Issues were raised in regards to the present occupants of Heslington Hall, who will be moving out to accommodate for the Humanities Research Centre, Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies, Centre for Medieval Studies and Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies, RSVP team and White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH). “HR has been informed that we will have to move out of Heslington Hall by the end of February to a temporary location before moving yet again to another permanent location. There are still some teams who don't know where they will move to.”
The lack of certainty has left staff “concerned” about disruptions to right-to-work checks and accessibility issues. It seems that individuals who want to work on campus will have to resort to being a “nomad searching for desk space.” Accessibility issues are also an issue with Heslington Hall, with disabled staff and students forced to use a side entrance and go through “a tortuous path to get to many locations and a complete lack of access to higher levels.”
In response to such allegations, a University spokesperson said: “We are especially grateful to Professional Services colleagues – including the Executive Board – who will be moving out of Heslington Hall. Some teams are moving to a temporary location until their permanent home is ready in new Professional Services hubs.” “We believe that bringing departments, centers, and services closer together will create new opportunities for collaboration.”
Professional Service Colleagues who currently reside in Heslington Hall face various changes over the next academic years. HR and Finance will have a new permanent home in Innovation Close, but will need to move to a temporary location over the spring and summer of 2025. The University’s Secretary’s Office will move to Market Square in early 2025, as well as the University Executive Board and VC office. Discussions remain underway about how to integrate Heslington Hall users into other External Relations spaces on campus as well as surrounding the timings and location for the Strategic Planning and Performance team.
The future of King’s Manor is still unknown. A group of city, regional and national partners are currently working to come up with ideas for what the future will look like for the St Mary’s Abbey complex, under which fall the ruins in Museum gardens and the Yorkshire Museum, King’s Manor, the York Grand Theatre building and the De Grey Rooms. Partners are currently working on developing a vision for a sustainable future for these listed landmark buildings.
The University currently retains the lease from the City of York Council, and are working on conserving and protecting the historic site. Debbie Mitchell, Director of Finance, said: “We understand that Kings Manor is an important building in our city. We are currently in dialogue with the University of York about future plans.”
