We have been asking staff, students and alumni to share with us objects and places that make the University of Chester special to them. This week, alumna Sarah Griffiths (1995) chose the view of the Clwydians from the Price Tower on the Parkgate Road Campus. Here’s why…
“My association with the University of Chester (then Chester College) began with an Open Day in 1991. I first saw the view of the Clwydians when visiting the Department of History on the sixth floor of the Tower. Having been brought up in low-lying rural Oxfordshire, the hills looked very inviting to me, especially with the knowledge that the mountains of Snowdonia lay beyond.
“I came into higher education as a mature student after having worked in academic journal publishing in Oxford and Abingdon. I began my degree in History and Psychology at Chester in 1992 and during those three years I had ample opportunity to see the view of the Clwydians from the Tower in my History lectures, and from a range of other vantage points in Chester. I was heavily involved with the Outdoor Pursuits Club throughout this time and so was fortunate to have many opportunities to explore the Welsh hills and mountains, in addition to a wealth of other places across the country.
“I opted to stay in Chester after my course and continued to study History part time at the University until 2006, alongside working in Deeside and then Chester. My knowledge of the Clwydians and other Welsh hills and mountains continued to grow, particularly through a five-year stint with North East Wales Search and Rescue team. I returned to the University as a staff member in 2010 to take on my current role of running the University of Chester Press and producing the Annual Review. Little did I know when I began my course all that time ago that I would end up living in this lovely city and coming full circle to work on publications within the institution.
“Throughout my time at the University, the view of the Clwydians has been a common thread and I always know that I am nearly home whenever I see those distinctive hills appear in the distance.”
If you would like to nominate an object or place for #UoC100Objects, we would love to hear from you! Email us at alumni@chester.ac.uk or drop us a message on social media.
