Crop research has been undertaken at the Wellesbourne campus for 70 years.

1949 - National Vegetable Research Station (NVRS) was established in response to post-war pressure for food production.

‘A second-hand wooden hut was erected in January 1950, with the modest dimensions of 12ft by 15ft to provide office accommodation for the Director, Secretary and shorthand-typist’ NVRS First Annual Report.

1959 - Prince Philip Building was formally opened housing specialist laboratories, library, lecture hall and admin offices.

1973 - David Lowe Building was added to the south-west wing of the Prince Philip Building to provide additional laboratory and office space.

1980 - The UK Vegetable Gene Bank was built at Wellesbourne following donations to an OXFAM special appeal.

1990 - Horticulture Research International (HRI) was established (merger between AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research (operating on sites at Wellesbourne, Littlehampton, East Malling and Wye) and the Agricultural Development Advisory Service (ADAS) Experimental Horticulture Stations (EHSs) at Efford, Kirton and Stockbridge House).

2004 - Warwick HRI was formed on 1 April 2004 following the integration of HRI sites at Wellesbourne and Kirton with The University of Warwick.

2010 - School of Life Sciences was formed following merger of Warwick HRI and Department of Biological Sciences.

People

Professor John Bleasdale

Professor Denley Wright

Dr Jim Brewster

Dr Duncan Greenwood

Events

Margaret Thatcher's visit to Wellesbourne in 1988

Establishment of NVRS in 1949

Celebration event - 70 years of research on the Wellesbourne Campus - on 18th December 2019

Papers

The National Vegetable Research Station, Wellesbourne, Warwick | Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences (royalsocietypublishing.org)