THEY have provided the backdrop to thousands of graduations, many involving some of the nation’s greatest luminaries.
Now the same band of powerful graduates have joined together to save the historic gates for future generations - and forced university bosses into a prompt U-turn.
Edinburgh University has abandoned plans to auction off the gated entranceway to its historic graduation hall after being deluged with complaints from academics and alumni.
Some of Scotland's leading lights including historian Professor Sir Tom Devine and author Alexander McCall Smith have pressed the ancient seat of learning into withdrawing the 19th century wrought iron gateway from of a garden furniture auction in England.
The university has arranged to have the gateway returned to campus.
The row centred on railings which stand as the entrance to the historic McEwan Hall which was built and presented to the university in 1897 by William McEwan, a brewer and politician.
At the time, it cost £115,000 and was the single biggest private donation in the history of the institution, which is undergoing a £33 million refurbishment.
The gates did not feature in the landscape design and an agreement was reached with the university’s contractor to have them removed.
But Prof Devine - who in 2005 was appointed to the Sir William Fraser Chair of Scottish History and Palaeography at Edinburgh, the world’s oldest and most distinguished Chair of Scottish History - was among a string of senior figures connected to the university who campaigned against the removal of the gates.
An open letter demanding their return was also signed by the author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency McCall Smith, Professor Emeritus of Medical Law, Edinburgh University.
The letter said: “We are disappointed that the University of Edinburgh, established by the city in 1582 as the ‘tounis college’, should associate itself with an act which is manifestly detrimental to Edinburgh’s civic built heritage, and trust that a constructive reconsideration of this decision will be forthcoming.
“We would also question the removal of perimeter security from this location insofar as it affects the safety and well-being of staff and students.”
Principal Sir Timothy O’Shea has now pledged to returned the carved sandstone and wrought iron entrance and a deal has been struck between the university and Sussex-based Summers Place Auctions.
Prof O’Shea said: “On hearing news of the proposed auction, Edinburgh graduates far and wide contacted the university to express their fondness for the gates.
“The views of our alumni are very important to us so we are happy to bring the gates back.”
Letter signatory David Black, author of All The First Minister’s Men, said: “The university authorities and Sir Timothy O’Shea should be commended for taking the right decision in this case.
“The reaction of almost everyone I raised this matter with was, initially, one of disbelief, followed by complete disapproval, and in some cases outright anger.”
Also among those to sign the letter were Paul Addison, School of History, Classics, and Archaeology, Edinburgh University; Neil Ascherson, journalist and author, Visiting Professor, Department of Archaeology, University College, London; John Cairns, Professor of Civil Law, Edinburgh Law School, Edinburgh University; Owen Dudley Edwards, School of History, Classics, and Archaeology, Edinburgh University, Gavin Stamp, Honorary Professor of the History of Architecture, University of Glasgow and Margaret Stewart, Lecturer in Architectural History, University of Edinburgh.
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