Campus universities with beautiful old buildings

[Trewser]

I know, i know. But dd2 is reluctant to go to any open days, and this is her (childish and silly i know) requirement. I thought if we could at least do ONE she will start to be more open minded!

[HostessTrolley]

My son’s currently at Royal Holloway doing cyber security, if you have any specific question (he’s in his third year) give me a shout

[runoutofnamechanges]

If she wants Hogwarts, take her to an open day at Oxford and go see the some of the actual locations...

Plus the entry requirements for Oxford are only AAA so less than Durham (ranked first for English) which is A*AA. Oxford is ranked third currently. If she got all 7/8/9s and you think ABB at Royal Holloway might make a good insurance offer, it sounds like AAA is not an unreasonable goal.

[LauraLooDerby]

Durham could be a shout. I genuinely picked Durham (and Hild Bede in particular) based on it feeling like Hogwarts.

(Wasn't posh enough to go to Castle or Hatfield, and HB was big enough without being overwhelming...!)

I went to a state secondary/sixth form, needed ABB and got ACC and still got in, so I'm not sure if I was a good stat for them or something.

I loved every second. I still cry (either with fond memories or envy, I'm not sure which) if I ever drive up the A1 past the A690 turn off, or if I hear 'Never Forget' on the radio.

[FlyingSquid]

Durham is actual Hogwarts (they used the cathedral to film some of it).

[SerafinaPekkalasbroomstick]

Royal Holloway is beautiful and also an excellent uni with high student satisfaction. It is also very accessible by train so of she wants to visit home a lot that would suit her.

[Comefromaway]

Keele

www.keele.ac.uk/discover/

[Deianira]

Many great suggestions here. Exeter is also really lovely, and good for both English and Classics.

[BubblesBuddy]

I would choose the highest ranking for English she can get into. It’s not a subject that’s high up in the earnings table 5 years down the line so rule out Winchester and a few others. Why cannot she look on line at RG universities herself and see what the buildings are like?

Hogwarts was Christ Church College, Oxford. However choosing a university based on buildings you might never go in is rather juvenile I’m afraid. Not visiting is also not going to help. However she’s got 6 months to feel differently about this although subject days at Oxford are usually booking early. Campus universities tend to be newer. Old buildings are in old cities! Royal Holloway isn’t great at weekends as so many go home and it’s not RG. Bristol might suit. Wills Hall is a quad but the university isn’t a campus. Birmingham is also a good shout but hardly anyone gets rooms in Castle at Durham, so don’t bank on that. She might get allocated a newer hall and Durham isn’t campus either. Exeter is, but it’s not old. Suits the less city savvy though. You can always go and visit on a non open day to get the feel of a location.

[clary]

Just to say, ABB is not really an insurance offer for English lit. If your top choice is AAA/AAB (likely for places like Warwick and York) then ABB for a second choice isn't going to help. I speak here from bitter clearing day experience.

Warwick BTW is a great uni wth a fan english dept, RG and as likely as anywhere outside Oxford to launch your career. No old buildings tho.

How about Bristol (wills building) or Edinburgh? Actually the stumbling block is probably that campus unis tend to be newer (Nottingham, Warwick, UEA) ergo not old.

[clary]

Haha x post with bubbles buddy about new buildings on campus, old buildings in cities. Oxford is lovely of course but again, not a campus as such

[berlinbabylon]

Cardiff has a nice "campus" and is next to some lovely civic buildings.

Leeds Beckett Headingley is a lovely campus too.

Oh and YY to Royal Holloway! Amazing building.

Exeter is set on a nice campus too.

St Andrews doesn't do it for me (too small and cold), but I do like all of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling. The Glasgow campus is amazing, Strathclyde less so.

You can do Eng lit in a lot of places so it should be easy enough to find somewhere with a good course AND nice buildings!

[Trewser]

I would choose the highest ranking for English she can get into. It’s not a subject that’s high up in the earnings table 5 years down the line i know. But she's determined to do it

[Trewser]

Just to say, ABB is not really an insurance offer for English lit. If your top choice is AAA/AAB (likely for places like Warwick and York) then ABB for a second choice isn't going to help. I speak here from bitter clearing day experience thank you clary

The problem is that she's determined to do English or joint English. Personally i am not sure its worth doing a non-vocational subject at a low ranked uni, but who knows?

[bakedbeanzontoast]

Stirling 😊

[Minimincepies]

Definitely Durham. It's stunning, and the city is small enough that it quickly feels familiar and safe. Plus an amazing English Dept.

[minesagin37]

York. We have Heslington House- it's Jacobean.

[NotDavidTennant]

TBH you can have old buildings or you can have a campus, but you generally can't have both.

[mumsneedwine]

Is she wants Hogwarts then Royal Holloway fits the bill

[Johnsonsfiat]

Hull, surprisingly.

[samlovesdilys]

Another vote for Royal Holloway (though old, beautiful buildings = cold, draughty rooms with few facilities in my day!!)

[Carriemac]

What we did for year 10
Onwards were mini breaks in university cities
We had a great time in Newcastle and oxford particularly, York and Durham also great
The kids visited their cousins at uni too without us so you can get a. Feel for a place without it being a ‘uni’ visit

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Bit off piste but Trinity College Dublin is very Hogwartsian.

[FlyingSquid]

I don't understand the post about ABB not being a reasonable insurance for an AAA top offer. It's two grades down - DS (science undergrad) was looking at A A A offers with a perfectly sensible AAA insurance.

Is it because there's much less predictability about the arts?

[Trewser]

I think ABB is as low as its going to get for a fairly well regarded uni

[TalentedMsRipley]

Liverpool.