Halls of residence at the University of Bristol

Halls of residence at the University of Bristol are generally located within two distinct areas of Bristol, Clifton and Stoke Bishop.

Clifton halls

Goldney Hall

Main article: Goldney Hall

Goldney Hall's gothic tower

Goldney Hall is a self-catered hall situated in Clifton, Bristol. The Hall is well known for its gardens and follies which include an ornamental canal, gothic tower, rotunda, mock Bastion and a subterranean shell-lined grotto. The Hall takes its name from the Goldney family who were a family of wealthy Clifton merchants. The hall has been used as a filming location for several television programs including The Chronicles of Narnia, The House of Eliott and Truly, Madly, Deeply as well as the 2002 Christmas episode of Only Fools and Horses, as well as Casualty and Skins being filmed there.

Clifton Hill House

Main article: Clifton Hill House

Clifton Hill House is a catered hall in Clifton, it is a grade I listed building and a hall of residence for students at the University of Bristol.

Manor Hall

Main article: Manor Hall

Manor Hall comprises a number of annexes, each of which is less than a one minute's walk from the main building. These buildings, as with the main hall, have a very rich history; with the oldest dating back as far as 18th century.

The main building houses around 150 students, with music room, library, common room, bar, and computer room, all of which are accessible to all of the hall’s residents. The hall owes its existence to the generosity of the Wills family, and was designed by the architect Sir George Oatley, who also designed the Wills Memorial Building, and Wills Hall, both of which belong to the university.

This annex came to the university in 1919, again through the generosity of the Wills family, although it has its roots in the early 18th century. Over the years it has gone through many changes. In the 19th century it was successively the home of two notable scientists, Dr William Budd, F.R.S., who discovered the origins of typhoid, and Professor John Beddoes, F.R.S., a social anthropologist who wrote The Races of Man. Manor House was extensively refurbished by the University in the summers of 1997 and 1998, and officially reopened in April 1999.

Sinclair House

Richmond house is one of the oldest houses in Clifton, being built between 1701-1703. This building has an extensive history; it used to be a boarding school for boys, as well as being the home of the Revd Mr Smith and his large family of maiden daughters, one of whom became one of the first ladies on the city council in Bristol (1920), and one of the first female J.P.s. A popular piece of trivia amongst residents is the fact that the house contains the oldest working flushing toilet in Bristol.

2, 3 and 4 Tottenham Place are houses which were built in the 1830s. The houses were named after a local resident, Ponsonby Tottenham, a relative of the then Marquess of Ely. They came into the University's possession in the 1940s and 1950s.

Sinclair House is the most modern addition to Manor Hall’s annexes, built partly on the site of Holland Cottage, destroyed during the extensive German air raids of November 1940. The house was opened in 1978 and named after the Rt. Hon. The Lady Sinclair of Cleeve.

Stoke Bishop halls

Durdham Hall

Durdham Hall is the newest of the halls of residence located in the Stoke Bishop site of the University of Bristol. It houses 220 undergraduate students. The hall is designed in the traditional 'Oxbridge' style in that it is built around a central quadrangle. Durdham Hall is split into four blocks (A-D) with each block being further divided into flats of five to seven people. Each flat has a large communal lounge/kitchen and all bedrooms are single en suite.

The hall boasts a modern bar, which is the largest of all the bars in the Stoke Bishop halls, known as the Badger Bar, in homage to the badger sett that once occupied the site (the badgers have since been moved to a man-made sett adjacent to the hall). There is also a computer room, laundrette and music room with a keyboard.

Construction started in April 1993 and was completed in October 1994, the hall still has a modern look to it due to its classical architecture and clean, bright rooms. The current warden of Durdham Hall is Mrs Tilly Beech and the deputy warden is Mr Greg "Party Girth" Kemble.

Wills Hall

Main article: Wills Hall

Wills Hall was officially opened by Sir Winston Churchill, who was then the Chancellor of the University, in December 1929. It was built on a 26-acre (110,000 m²) site around a nineteenth century house called Downside which had been constructed in the style known as Strawberry Hill Gothic and which is now the Warden’s house. The Hall was designed by Sir George Oatley who was also responsible for many other fine buildings in the University and the City. The cost of the building was met by Sir George Wills, in memory of his brother Henry Herbert Wills who originally presented the site to the University - both of whom were sons of Henry Overton Wills, the first Chancellor of the University.

The original Downside House was extended to form the east side of the Quadrangle (now known as Old Quad houses A to M). The fine panelled first floor dining room with common rooms beneath (now including the JCR Bar) was built at the same time. The adornments of this building include the grotesque figures. In 1930 a Chapel was added, the gift of Dame Monica Wills, the childless widow of Henry Herbert Wills.

To these original buildings new accommodation was added in 1961 when an “L” shaped block known as XYZ was built. This was designed to form one part of a New Quad which was completed when UVW was opened in 1990. As well as providing over a hundred further rooms, all with en suite facilities, a Conference centre was built at the same time, which includes a room capable of seating up to 200 people.

Since 1956, Wills has had other Halls of residence as neighbours so that today over 2000 students live on the enlarged Stoke Bishop site in six different Halls, which are adjacent to each other and linked by walkways.

University Hall

The Hall was constructed in 1971 and was the first self-catering Hall of Residence built on the Stoke Bishop site and accommodates over 300 students. The majority of students are accommodated in the six original buildings that comprise 56 flats each providing five standard, single study-bedrooms with shared facilities. In 1992 an additional cottage-style building was added to the site. This building comprises eight flats and the accommodation is arranged into six en-suite single study-bedrooms with a shared kitchen/diner.

The Hall traditionally has a good mix of students including recent school-leavers, international and UK-based students. Most flats are mixed, although single sex flats are available. The main social and administration building is the focus of Hall life. The facilities include a large social area, bar, TV room, computer room, a study, music practice and entertainment room, terrace area and launderette. The Hall is a five minute walk from the main University sports ground and also shares sports facilities such as squash, tennis and croquet courts on the Stoke Bishop site.

The social life at the Hall is a great places to start off your University career - the perfect environment to make friends. With so many students in one place you cannot avoid meeting someone you will get on with. From the vibrant and exciting atmosphere of Freshers' Week to the tension of exam time, living at University Hall is an excellent way to share good times. The Hall has an elected student Junior Common Room (JCR) committee, which organises a variety of social, and sporting events, and all members of Hall are encouraged to participate.

The Hall is located in the pleasant Stoke Bishop district of north Bristol; it is within a five minute walk of the Downs. Clifton and Durdham Downs make up more than 400 acres (1.6 km²) of grassland stretching from the very cliffs of the Avon Gorge to the edges of the Victorian-built suburbs.

Hiatt Baker Hall

Hiatt Baker Hall is a fully catered Hall, and one of the nine Halls of Residence of the University of Bristol, located in Stoke Bishop. The Hall houses around 445 undergraduate students (the largest number of any University of Bristol Hall) in two residential blocks, and is well known amongst University of Bristol students for its distinctive 1960s architecture, designed by Sir Percy Thomas and Son.

Hiatt Baker is named after the eminent biologist Hiatt Cowles Baker. H.C. Baker came from a 19th Century rags to riches story. His father, William M. Baker, started out bankrupt and destitute, moving to Bristol to find his fortune. He eventually become owner of Baker, Baker & Co, a department store of sorts, within the vicinity of the old castle grounds. It was through the Baker family that the link between the University of Bristol and the Holmes, now the site of the University of Bristol Botanical Gardens, was forged; W.M. Baker rented the Holmes when the family's fortunes improved. The site then stayed within the tenancy of the Baker family, until acquired by the University in 1943. Hiatt Cowles Baker sat on the committee that obtained a royal charter for the University of Bristol, and later became Pro-Chancellor between 1929 and 1934.

Hiatt Baker residents, along with residents of other Stoke Bishop halls of residence, have the use of many of the sporting facilities at Wills Hall, including tennis, squash and netball courts. Facilities within the hall include a music room, a television room, grand piano and library. Goju Ryu Karate is taught at the hall, with sessions taking place every Wednesday evening during term. From Spring 2010 Hiatt Baker students have been allowed access to a small on-site gym upon payment of a membership fee.

As with all the Stoke Bishop Halls, Hiatt Baker has its own bar, which was refurbished in 2005 and given a lesser makeover in 2007 & 2010. The Warden of Hiatt Baker Hall is Gordon Trevett, the Sport High Performance Manager in the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health. He is often referred to by his students simply as 'G', 'G-Force', or 'Gordon the Warden'. Notable alumni include the current Director of MI5 - Jonathan Evans.

Also available on site within the main block is "Source" cafe and the "Thairapy Room" hair salon, these are both commercial businesses who provide their services exclusively to students.

Churchill Hall

Churchill Hall is one of the halls of residence located in the Stoke Bishop site of the University of Bristol. It houses around 350 undergraduate students. Churchill Hall is split into blocks, or 'houses' as they are more formally known. (A - R & (The) Holmes). Blocks A-K were built in the early 50s, in two phases, around a large split level quadrangle. The main block (K) houses a library/reading room, bar, table tennis room, piano room, dining hall, computer room, laundrette, the porters lodge, and the largest Junior Common Room in terms of floorspace of the Stoke Bishop Halls. Blocks M-R are the 'new' blocks. These feature significantly smaller rooms than those around old quad, yet share a bathroom in between every two rooms, and large communal kitchen space. As part of the 'new block' redevelopment, a new student building, the "hexagon", was added. This is a small building at the back of the main block which currently houses a Queen Anne snooker table. The 'old' blocks are joined together in various formations. AB and IJ form two opposing self contained large 'houses'. These blocks have the largest rooms apart from the Holmes. They are the only rooms to have washbasins. Bathrooms are between 6 people per floor. CDE and FGH form longer "blocks" with rooms the same size as AB/IJ only without the washbasins, which are provided instead in shared bathrooms between 12 people per floor. They all contain small kitchenettes with Microwaves, Fridge Freezers and a Sink. They also contain washrooms on the top floors. The Holmes is a large Victorian mansion house of historical interest. It sits within the University botanical gardens opposite the hall, and houses mostly JCR members and non first-years. The rooms vary in size but tend to be considerably larger, by up to about 4 or 5 times, than even old block rooms. It formerly belonged to Wills Hall. The hall used to contain two other Victorian residences, Waltham and Claverton Cottages, Claverton having since become the Warden's Residence and Waltham now part of the Botanic Gardens. The hall is a catered hall, and the current warden of Churchill Hall is Professor Robert Mayhew, Professor of Historical Geography and Intellectual History at the University's School of Geographical Sciences.

Badock Hall

Badock Hall is a catered hall of residence. It offers accommodation for more than 441 students, comprising single study bedrooms housed in ten separate units, each supervised by a senior resident.^[1] The Hall was opened in 1964 and is named after the late Sir Stanley Hugh Badock, a former Pro-Chancellor, Treasurer and Chairman of Council of the University.^[2] When originally opened, some of the buildings were known as Badock Hall with others being called Hiatt Baker Hall. Two years later, Hiatt Baker Hall moved to its own site ¼ mile away. In 2010, Badock celebrates 40 years in its current format.^[3] The current Warden of Badock Hall is Mrs Francoise Evans and Mr. Charles Gunter, the Deputy Warden. [1]

Student Houses

There are currently 13 undergraduate student houses, owned and run by the University of Bristol, offering over 600 self-catered places. During the summer vacations, the houses are available for use by visitors.

The Hawthorns

A former hotel, the residence has space for 117 students, and is situated within the university precinct. The student rooms are on the upper floors, with the ground floor offering conference facilities, a refectory, and the orbital office. There is a big variation in room size, with half having en-suite facilities, and 4 rooms being doubles. Its location means that the university sports centre and most departments are just a 1 minute walk.

The Hawthorns

Hillside/Woodside

Hillside/Woodside consists of two houses interlinked, and located near Leigh Woods. It has room for 29 students, with 8 double rooms. The bedrooms and kitchens were refurbished in the summer of 2008. The residence is located close to Ashton Court, home of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, and Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Northwell House

Located just off the A38, Northwell House was built in 1998. It is made up of two buildings, and is split up into 22 flats, each of which can hold 4-8 students. It has the capacity for 123 students, with 30 double rooms.

Osborne Villas

Two Victorian style terraced houses within the university precinct.

115 Queens Road

Purpose built in the 1960s, and refurbished in the summer of 2008. It is directly opposite the student's union, and so boasts quick access to the student bar and university swimming pool. It has 41 single rooms, with 9 rooms on each floor. Two of the 5 floors are single sex, with the other three mixed.

Winkworth House

5 mins walk from Bristol centre, 2 mins from Park Street and 10 mins from the University Precinct. Around 120 residents arranged in mostly flats of 7 (with some smaller). All ensuite.

Other residences

A2Dominion and Unite Run Properties

Woodland Court

Woodland Court

Woodland Court, opened in September 2005, is a self catered residence in Cotham run by A2Dominion Housing Group. The ensuite rooms are organised into flats of 4-7 centred around a shared kitchen. It is under 10 minutes walk to the university precinct and five minutes from Clifton Down Shopping Centre. Roughly half the rooms accommodate freshers with the rest occupied by postgraduates.

Unite House

Unite House, owned by UNITE, is a self catered residence situated near the Hippodrome. Unite House has a range of non ensuite and ensuite rooms in 6 and 7 bed flats as well as studios. There is an onsite laundry, bike storage and some parking available. Unite House and Woodland Court are not official halls of residence but have a similar feel to them.

Image	Hall Name	Established	Location	Catered/Self-catered	Warden
	Badock Hall	1964	Stoke Bishop	Catered	Mrs Francoise Evans
	Churchill Hall	1964	Stoke Bishop	Catered	Professor Robert Mayhew
	Clifton Hill House	1750	Clifton	Catered	Dr. Thomas Richardson
	Durdham Hall	1994	Stoke Bishop	Self-catered	Mrs Tilly Beech
	Goldney Hall	c1720	Clifton	Self-catered	Professor Gregor McLennan
	Hiatt Baker Hall	1966	Stoke Bishop	Catered	Mr Gordon Trevett
	Manor Hall	1932	Clifton	Self-catered	Dr. Martin J Crossley Evans
	University Hall		Stoke Bishop	Self-catered
	Wills Hall	1928	Stoke Bishop	Catered	Professor Julian Rivers

References

1. ^ Badock Hall website
2. ^ Prospectus - Badock Hall, University of Bristol
3. ^ The Gemini Club - Badock Hall, University of Bristol

External links

• The 2007 Bristol University accommodation prospectus
• Churchill Hall website
• Badock Hall website