Founder’s Building: The Original Building of Royal Holloway
Site at a Glance
- Popularity
- High
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- British
- Site type
- Civic
- Remains
- University
On this page11 sections
History
Construction and royal opening
Founder’s Building is the original building of Royal Holloway, University of London, in Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom. Designed by William Henry Crossland in the French Renaissance style, an architectural style that developed in France during the Renaissance, its construction began in 1874 and was completed in 1881. The nineteenth-century entrepreneur and philanthropist Thomas Holloway funded the building and college as a £600,000 “gift to the nation.”
Queen Victoria officially opened the building in 1886. By royal mandate, a formal authorization from the monarch, she allowed the college to use “Royal” in its name. The building received Grade I listed status in 1986, England’s highest category of listed-building protection.
Remains
The Founder’s Building is the largest and dominant building on campus. Its plan is arranged around two courtyards, the north and south quadrangles. Crossland modelled the building on French châteaux, including Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley.
Exterior and quadrangles
Courtyards and statues
A marble statue of Queen Victoria stands at the centre of the north quadrangle. The south quadrangle has a marble statue of Thomas Holloway and his wife, Jane. Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg sculpted both works.
Towers
The north tower is called the Clock Tower, while the south tower is known as the Dragon Tower for its dragon-like gargoyles, projecting carved figures often designed to channel rainwater. The central tower, the Lantern Tower, houses a lantern that is lit occasionally.
Interior spaces and uses
Picture Gallery
The Picture Gallery contains more than 70 Victorian-era artworks that Holloway gave to the college at its founding.
Chapel and academic spaces
The building includes a lecture theatre, a non-denominational chapel and a reading room available to students 24 hours a day.
Residence and college departments
A hall of residence in the building accommodates more than 550 students. It also houses Crosslands, a bar named in honour of the architect. Many of the college’s main administrative offices are here, along with offices for the Department of Politics and International Relations, the Department of Humanities and part of the School of Management. Other college departments occupy newer buildings.
Archives
Royal Holloway’s archives are located in the building, where original building plans and photographs from the time of completion can be consulted.
