So, you think you know about the University? We’ve been doing some investigating to find some lesser known facts that might just surprise you.

1. Loughborough’s Sainsburys was once home to the University.

In a former life, the University had several buildings in the town centre including buildings on Green Close Lane and Ashby Road. The buildings are now used for a variety of purposes, including your food shopping! In fact, the old School of the Arts on Frederick Street is due to become a creative hub, ‘The Generator’.

The University’s golf course can be seen at the bottom right of this photo

2. Speaking of the University’s former life, did you know we used to have a nine-hole golf course?

That’s it there in the bottom right. Wishing you could still play on campus? Unfortunately Elvyn Richards now stands on the exact location of our former fairways and greens. You’ll have to stick to the clubs provided by the Students’ Union instead.

3. Only 60% of our campus has been built on.

We’re known for being a green campus, but did you know 40% of our land is tenant farmed?

4. In that undeveloped 40% live the Loughborough University bees.

OK, so if you’re keen on our blogs you’ll probably already know all about the busy Loughborough bees. If not, check them out! And watch out for any surplus honey sales too.

5. A green landmark, the cedar tree outside the EHB and Herbert Manzoni buildings, is its distinctive shape because it collapsed under snow.

As you can see, the tree used to be much taller! In December 1990 some heavy snow fall caused it to collapse, making it the distinctive bent shape it is now. Thanks to Andrea Brooks for the above image.

6. The Hazlerigg and Rutland buildings were originally University halls of residence.

They opened in the 1930s and each building housed 80 students. They are now used as offices, but do make sure you pop in and have a look around before you graduate, they’re a piece of Loughborough history!

7. Martin Hall was supposed to be a third hall of residence alongside Hazlerigg and Rutland.

That would have made campus look a bit different! The plan was always to have three halls of residence around the fountain, however, due to the outbreak of the second world war the third hall of residence was never built. Martin Hall instead became the name of one of our School of the Arts buildings, housing English and Drama students, a state-of-the-art theatre and black-box studios.

8. The Hazlerigg and Rutland stained glass windows were made by Loughborough Fine Art students.

Think you’ve got it hard? In previous years students were tasked with building furniture, making sculptures, and doing any handiwork that was needed in order to gain their degrees! In the case of the Fine Art students, this included being tasked with creating stained glass windows for the new Hazlerigg and Rutland halls of residence.

 9. The so-called ‘Bastard Gates’ are actually named just that. They were named after the former Chairman of Governors, one William Bastard.

The gates were also the main entrance to the University until the now main road, Epinal Way, was constructed.

10. The Holt is the University’s longest running hall of residence.

It opened its doors to students in 1919 and is still welcoming them today. Originally the hall was just the central building called ‘The Old Holt’. In recent years, several additional buildings have been built around the outside to allow the hall to house more students.

11. We ran one of the first legal student radio stations.

We were the 8th legal student radio station to broadcast in the UK. The official opening of the system was in January 1973, marked by a simple ceremony performed by Vice Chancellor Elvyn Richards and Union President Dave Hagger. The station was known as University Radio Loughborough, or “URL”, and it broadcast on 998Khz.

We hope you’ve learned something and are proud to be a part of this heritage and the #LboroFamily!