Re-instatement of the Victorian balconies to the 1853 wing – We would like to re-instate the balconies to this wing, according to the period photograph retained in Hall. This would also improve the aesthetics of the interior of the Symonds Music Room, as well as enhancing the symmetry to the outside.

Foyer Area – Re-instatement of the Edwardian veranda – We are hoping to re-instate this very important feature in the near future.

En-suite Pods – The installation of en-suite pods in student study-bedrooms in Fry wing would meet the high demand for such essential facilities from both students and conference delegates.

Buried treasures! – We would like to unearth the marble busts of Roman emperors and Greek philosophers that were buried at the bottom of the garden by the Symonds family in 1880. Whether the marble busts are from Roman or Greek origin or copies of the Grand Tour, they would be a very valuable find of indisputable historical interest. Post-graduates of the Archaeological Department already dug several trenches in June 1998 and in 2001 but no busts were found.

I shall quote what Margaret Symonds writes about the burying of the busts:
“When the papers were done with, my Mother had her way with the busts of all those unlovely emperors and philosophers such as our grandfathers duly bought on their “grand tours” and stuck up in their halls or bookshelves to depress both themselves and their children with for ever after. My Mother had a large trench dug in the garden, and the busts were all wheeled down in wheelbarrows and put in the trench, and then the earth was shovelled in, and then my Mother got in herself and danced upon the earth. She was indeed an heroic young lady, for all that happened fifty years ago; and people didn’t destroy their family trophies at that period, and certainly they did not dance on them.”

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