The Campus was first opened on 20th August 1969, housing professors from Memorial University and students from the local Harlow College. The first Memorial University students to use Harlow Campus were from Social Work in the fall 1970, who stayed for 3 months. Harlow Campus then continued to house students from the Faculty of Engineering completing internships in Harlow factories from 1971, followed by the Faculty of Education in 1972 when students completed their internship in local schools over one semester.

While Education students provided the mainstay of the campus throughout the Seventies and Eighties, the Campus has since been used to deliver credit courses in the Arts, Sciences, Visual Arts, Theatre and Business.

It has also housed interns in Social Work, Pharmacy, Cooperative Commerce, Engineering and Computer Science.

Timeline of Harlow Campus History

In 1967, Lord Stephen Taylor of Harlow was asked by Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood to become President and Vice-Chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Upon accepting and taking up this position, Lord Taylor said:

"I think it would be rather fitting if the oldest town in the New World were linked to the newest town in the Old World"

1968: The board of 15 Trustees were appointed under the chairmanship of Geoffrey Milling, who was also chairman of Bowrings. Other Trustees included The Duke of Devonshire, Lord Rothermere, Baroness Summerskill, Dr Douglas Darcy, Dr John Foster (Head of the Association of Commonwealth Universities), Dr David Morgan, Reginald Meadus, Arthur Tattersall, Arnold Smith (Director General of the Commonwealth Secretariat), Lionel Norton (Vice-Chairman Harlow Development Corporation), Dr Cyril James, David Wright and Ben Hyde Harvey (General Manager of the Harlow Development Corporation).

1969: The first meeting of Trustees was held on April 28th at the offices of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. As a result of discussions at that meeting, the University acquired a dilapidated Victorian Maltings dating from around 1870 in St. John's Walk, Old Harlow, as well as some disused Victorian school buildings not far from St. John's Church. With the assistance of Architect John Graham, the Maltings was converted into a residence for 35 students. In addition, the school house and masters cottage were converted into comfortable faculty accommodation.

1973: A former butcher shop and flat in Market Street were acquired and converted into two apartments, each accommodating four in twin rooms.

1988: An extension was built onto the north side of the Maltings to provide increased office space and a library; the quiet room and small TV room were converted to provide a lecture room and small computer room.

1997: The University acquired St John's Cottage, which is next to the Maltings and dates from 1650. Originally three workers cottages, they were converted into one house in the early 1960's, which provided accommodation for ten students with a sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility, study and shared bathroom/shower facilities.

The name of the house was changed to Cabot House in recognition of the 500th Anniversary of John Cabot's discovery of Newfoundland, which coincided with the 50th Anniversary of Harlow as a town.

In May 2002, the campus closed for 4 months to enable major refurbishment of The Maltings.

Today: The campus can now accommodate 51 students in the Maltings and Cabot House, and three faculty and their families in 44 & 46 Market Street and St Johns Cottage.