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‌‌A project to restore the oldest building on campus to its former glory has revealed a secret that was hidden in plain sight for years.

Historical research on the carved inscriptions on the exterior of Pearce Lodge found a previously unknown spelling error on the ancient Latin carvings around the badly weather-damaged University Coat of Arms, which dates from the mid-1600s.

The conservation work was undertaken during a comprehensive refurbishment on the interior and exterior of the ancient building.

Costas Panayotakis, Professor of Latin at the University, discovered that at some point, the word “PRIVILEGIIS” (trans. Privileges) was changed to read “BIUVLEGEIIS”, most likely by mistake.

Following discovery of the error, the University's Estates team worked with a local sculptor to re-carve the stone, restoring it to its intended meaning.

Translated, the full inscription on the Coat of Arms now reads: “The Academy of Glasgow, together with the privileges of [the University of] Bologna, was founded in the year 1450 of the Common Era with the oversight and funding of William Turnbull Bishop of Glasgow, but on the authority of James II, King of the Scots.”

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The Pearce Lodge was re-built on the Gilmorehill campus between 1885 and 1888, having been moved brick by brick from the University’s former site in the centre of Glasgow. It is named after naval architect Sir William Pearce who donated funding to save the building.

As well as restoring the external fabric and damaged stonework, the project also refitted also improved the landscape setting of the building and formed a new accessible pedestrian access route into the campus from University Avenue by modifying the wall and railings.‌

 

Pearce Lodge Refurb - skylight

First published: 5 December 2018

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