A college library reimagined for the whole of Hertford’s community.
It’s been an exciting and eventful time at Hertford College as our library renovation project moves forward. Our library is the centre of our academic community, and the older building no longer adequately served our students, nor properly protected our books and archives. All of that is changing, right now.
This build has our values at its heart: access, academic excellence, and sustainability. Like Hertford, it will be open and welcoming, a place of opportunity. And in the Hertford spirit, it is a unifying, collaborative project for the whole college and wider community.
Our world-class library will have more and better study spaces and upgrade our archival facilities. Its design will significantly reduce our energy consumption, increase biodiversity, provide access for those with limited mobility and open much-needed event space.
Enabling is the key word for this project – enabling growth of Hertford’s programmes across access, outreach, wellbeing and sustainability.
Watch Senior Project Manager Peter Beilby talking about the project here.
A message from our Interim Principal:
Hertford is in the midst of its largest transformation in the past century.
Right now, the south-west corner of the Old Buildings quadrangle is home to numerous machines, digging, piling and cementing the foundations of this astonishing development.
Working within the constraints of our historic buildings and a limited footprint, we are building new, more and better study spaces and completely renovating the library infrastructure and furnishings, bringing the experience of our students and the environment for our archives and rare books up to modern standards.
A lift will provide access to all floors and to the dining hall, greatly improving access for those with reduced mobility, whilst a roof terrace will allow us to look beyond the college walls and across Radcliffe Square.
Progress is continuing, and we hope that the quad will be returned to its former, but greatly enhanced, glory in the early part of 2027.
This time-lapse video bears witness to the transformation of our quiet oasis to a complex building site over the second half of 2024. You can find out more details of the library developments here and help ensure that Hertford college continues to thrive, by supporting the library project here.
The City Archaeologist has approved the completion of archaeological work in the quad. This is a significant step forward to comply with one of the key planning conditions which was attached to the original approval for the project. At the ‘eleventh hour’, Oxford Archaeology uncovered the remains of a Saxon cellar pit (pictured below), which has been excavated without adding further delay.
The grounds work contractors are removing the remaining sands and gravel from the quad excavation prior to construction of the basement slab (floor), and completing concrete facing works to the lower part of the piles.
The higher-level bracing to the southern arrangement of bearing piles in the former chapel has been completed, allowing Oxford Archaeology in conjunction with Goldmax to continue underpinning excavations to both the eastern and western walls. The main excavation of the remaining areas within the former chapel will re-commence after the underpinning is completed.
Above ground, carpenters are working within the existing roof space and on the first floor, installing noggins before plaster boarding the ceiling
In the ‘extension’ area, the existing basement slab has been removed to enable Oxford Archaeology to excavate the remaining area. Several old drainage chambers and masonry structures have been uncovered.
Within the West Range, the carpenters are now reinstating the laths on the external walls in advance of the lime plaster works.
Berkeley Interiors continue to board up walls and install new ceilings.
Fire stopping work is being done where pipes pass through ceilings.
‘The library is the centre of Hertford’s academic community. Working in the library gave me a real sense of companionship and community – I knew that people were watching out for me, and the whispered library chats helped to break up the day. In the lead up to finals, I claimed one of the good seats by the window and camped out there for about eight weeks. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to pay that back by naming a seat in the new library.
Whether you were a regular library user, like me, or only an occasional visitor, I’m sure you’ll remember that the current building leaves something to be desired. The college have ambitious plans to create an exceptional space for students and provide the world-class facilities they deserve.’
Rachel Hunter (Law, 2012)