Plymouth Marjon University, commonly referred to as Marjon, is the trading name of the University of St Mark and St John, a university based primarily on a single campus on the northern edge of Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom. Formerly named University College Plymouth St Mark & St John, the institution was awarded full university status in 2013.[1]
Plymouth Marjon University
Coat of Arms
Other name
University of St Mark & St John
Former names
University College Plymouth St Mark & St John (2007–2012) College of St Mark and St John (1923–2007)
The Vice-Chancellor of the university since 2023 is Professor Claire Taylor.[3]
Historyedit
The university's history dates back to the foundation of its predecessor colleges in London, St John's College and St Mark's College.[4] The former chapel of St Mark's College, designed by Edward Blore is on the Fulham Road, Chelsea, and is now a private residence. [5]
Battersea Training College was established in Old Battersea House in 1840 by Sir James Kay-Shuttleworth, together with Edward Carleton Tufnell, as a private teacher training institution.[8] Kay-Shuttleworth transferred the college to the National Society in 1843.[9][10] The college was renamed as St John's College, Battersea in around 1879.[11]
These colleges merged in 1923, establishing a single institution in Chelsea as the College of St Mark & St John. In 1973 came the move to Plymouth due to the college outgrowing the Chelsea campus.
In 1991 the college became affiliated to the University of Exeter, which accredited it to run undergraduate and postgraduate programmes leading to degree awards of the University of Exeter, and in 2007, gained University College status, as the University College Plymouth St Mark & St John. It was awarded full university status as Plymouth Marjon University in 2013.[1]
Campusedit
The university campus is located several miles north of Plymouth city centre, next to Derriford Hospital. Residential accommodation is provided, with all first-year students guaranteed a place. In 2013 a major investment programme in campus facilities was completed, with new sport and exercise science laboratories, extensive indoor and outdoor sports provision, a theatre, a media centre and a music studio.
The main entrance to the campus in Derriford, Plymouth in April 2021
The chapel at Plymouth Marjon University as seen through trees.
Billy Hopkins, author of "Our Kid", and the sequal "High Hopes" chronicling his time as a trainee teacher in London[17]
Philip Kingsford, in 1912 held the best-ever triple jump record by an English-born athlete[18]
Gavin Love, basketball coach and former professional basketball player; all-time appearance leader for Plymouth Raiders
Ernest Millington, LabourMP for Chelmsford 1945–50, and was the last surviving member of the House of Commons elected during the Second World War (he died in 2009).
Ron Pickering, athletics coach and BBC sports commentator
^"University welcomes new Vice-Chancellor". Plymouth Marjon University. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
^"College of St Mark and St John" (PDF). Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
^Grant, Phoebe. "A historic former church in the heart of Chelsea". Town & Country.
^Hartley, David; Whitehead, Maurice, eds. (2006). Teacher Education: Historical aspects of teacher education from 1905 to 1990. Routledge. p. 420. ISBN 9780415324243.
^"Second London General Hospital". Lost Hospitals of London. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
^"Papers of Sir James Phillips Kay-Shuttleworth". Archives Hub. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
^Sheppard, Francis Henry Wollaston (1972). London, 1808-1870 The Infernal Wen. University of California Press. p. 232. ISBN 9780520018471.