Summer Tours of the Devonshire
12 June 2007
The Devonshire Campus from Manchester Road.
Buxton’s award-winning Devonshire Campus – the former Devonshire Royal Hospital – will be running a series of tours throughout the summer to tell the story of this magnificent and unique building.
Since it opened for teaching in September 2005, the Devonshire has won several high profile national and regional awards and commendations from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Friends of the Peak District.
For anyone interested in heritage and regeneration, the first opportunity for a full guided tour of this landmark will be next Tuesday, 19 June, at 3pm to celebrate national Architecture Week 2007. The tour will start by the Foucault Pendulum in the centre of the Dome.
The 45 minute tour of the building takes place at 3pm, revealing more about the Devonshire’s history, its past life as a stable building and renowned hydropathic hospital, and the new life breathed into it as a university campus and further education college.
Volunteer Devonshire Guides will also be on hand during the day, between 11am and 2pm, to answer questions on the history of the building and to conduct short informal tours. For additional information please visit www.architectureweek.org.uk.
During the Buxton Festival in July there will be additional opportunities for 45 minute tours of the Devonshire at 3pm on Saturdays and Wednesdays – 7, 11, 14, 18 and 21 July. Tours will cost £2 per person and will be for a maximum of 30 people, operated on a first come, first served basis.
The Devonshire Guides will also be on duty everyday throughout the Festival from 11am to 2pm to answer questions and give short informal tours.
And looking ahead to September, for the national series of Heritage Open Days 2007, the Devonshire will hold a special heritage-focused tour lasting 45 minutes from 2pm on Saturday 8 September. For more about planned events, visit www.heritageopendays.org.
Early booking is recommended for all events listed above. Please contact Liz Holland, Community Development Officer, on 01332 594 627, or email l.holland@derby.ac.uk.
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For further media information please contact the University of Derby Buxton’s Press and PR Officer, Simon Butt, on 07748 920023 or 01332 591891, or via email at s.butt@derby.ac.uk.
