Central Campus Trail
1.5-2 km, 45-60 minutes
We’ll start in the modern heart
of the present-day campus and
take a walk back in time over
1000 years.
1. Union Square
ere in Union Square is the sculpture ‘Forest
H
of Light’ [1] by Diane Maclean, unveiled in 2012,
commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the
University’s Royal Charter.
2. Students’ Union
The Students’ Union building [2] opened in 1962
as an icon of the modern movement and helped
to transform the estate into a modern university.
The strong ‘ocean liner’ horizontal forms were
designed by
Architects
Stillman &
Eastwick-
Field. HM the
Queen laid the
foundation stone,
accompanied
by HRH Princess
Margaret.
HRH Princess Margaret had a long
association with Keele, as President
of the University College and University
Chancellor from 1956 until 1986.
3 . Wartime huts
Keep the Chapel [17] on your left, turn left along
Cherry Tree Walk (we will return here). Bear right
to the rear of Chancellor’s Building; ahead are two
low brick wartime huts [3], the last remaining of
dozens of temporary
buildings, including
‘Nissen’ huts, from
the estate’s military
occupation 1939-1948.
It was a transit camp
for services personnel
and post-war refugees.
Huts accommodated the Students’ Union,
the chapel, offices and even some of the
staff and students into the late 1960s!
Forces evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940
passed through Keele and American troops
of the 83rd Division were stationed here in
1944- top secret at the time.
The Keele estate was acquired from the
Sneyd family for the new University College
of North Staffordshire, opened in 1949,
the University of Keele from 1962. By 1969
Keele was described as “the most original
innovation in British university education in
the 20th century”. Lord Lindsay, Master of
Balliol College, Oxford, was prime mover
in establishing it, close to an industrial area
where none had previously existed.
Continue past the rear of Chancellor’s Building to the
Covert, a main campus road. Follow the route to the
left, passing University staff housing on the right at
The Covert and Church Plantation (private). Take a
detour along the access roads for views towards the
north and west boundaries if you wish.
You can do the spectacular ‘Flowering
Cherries’ walk here at Keele in the spring.
There are over 230 varieties!
keele.ac.uk/arboretum/
nationalcollectionoffloweringcherries
4. Holly hedge
At Keele Drive
junction you can
see the carpark
boundary with a
hedge and trees:
the remains of a
formal holly hedge
[4] planted in 1769;
the first evidence of
the former glory of
the country house
estate on our trail.
The hedge was once 200 yards long, 25
feet high and 18 feet wide; part of the estate
pleasure gardens which kept generations of
gardeners busy.
Keele Drive leads to the village of Keele.
There are estate lodges (private) and village
buildings linked to the Sneyds who owned the
Keele estate from 1544 at the time of King
Henry VIII until 1948.
Turn to the left along Keele Hall Road, turn right at
Access Road 9, past Lindsay Court [5] on your left.
Stop to look over to Paddock Farm (private), built as
a stud in the late 19th century. You can see the M6
motorway, opened in 1962, from here. Beyond are
the Maer Hills where Charles Darwin walked when
visiting relatives at Maer Hall.
Keele once had a short-lived racecourse,
established by ‘Sporting Ralph’ Sneyd who
inherited the estate in 1890. He built stables
at the Clock House [8] and even a railway
station for race-goers. The home straight
is parallel to the M6, on the opposite side.
‘Racecourse
Farm’ still
remains there.
Nearby Uttoxeter
Racecourse took
over the licence
in 1907.
8. Clock House
Continue along the Terrace, down the steps (with
care) towards the Clock House [8]. For step-free
access, retrace your steps back to Keele Hall
Road, turn right and then turn right down Clock
House Drive. This grade II listed building is now
a university department and the Vice Chancellor’s
residence; please respect privacy. Built around
1830 in a revived Tudor/early Renaissance style
with later alterations, it was the stable block, coach
house and accommodation for the coachman and
head gardener.
Landscaping of
the 1820s and 30s
to designs by WS
Gilpin and in the
mid-19th century
by WA Nesfield
can be seen in
this area.
For step-free
access, go to the
left of the Clock
House and follow
the Woodlands
Walks sign into
the gardens.
9. The Bridge and Gorge
Retrace your path up the steps, bearing right into
the woods (please note: muddy/slippery when wet).
Stone was probably quarried near here for the
original Keele Hall of 1580 and later.
The bridge over the rock-cut gorge [9] forming the
drive to the Clock House was designed by Edward
Bloor in the 1830s. Bear right over the bridge and
down the steps
(steep – take
care). Go down
to the right and
enjoy a breath-
taking view of
the gardens and
landscape. Turn
left following the
Woodlands Walks.
You can follow the way-marked Woodland
Walks trails with a guide leaflet to the
extensive tree species that can be seen
on the estate. keele.ac.uk/arboretum
10. Parterre Garden and Lake Terrace
5. 6. 7. Walled gardens and Terrace
Return to Keele Hall Drive, past Lindsay Court
which incorporates the remaining wall of the later
of two estate walled gardens [5] built in the mid-19th
century. Turn right and take the path bearing right
into the woods leading to the Terrace [6], once
part of the Keele Hall driveway, bounded by Sweet
Chestnut trees, some of which are now 500 years
old. Overlook the remaining, more complete Walled
Garden [7], built around 1763. Inside, there were
heated, south-facing glass houses and gardeners’
sheds, some of which remain.
The working allotments here are run by
students, with organic produce for sharing
and selling.
Make your way down to the formal Parterre Garden
[10], designed by WA Nesfield around 1845 and
restored following its destruction in World War
II. A new fountain was added in 1963 near the
statuesque Cedar of Lebanon tree. Nesfield also
created the
terrace beside
the Hall looking
over the lake.
Take time to
explore the
gardens; we’ll
look at Keele Hall
later [14].
11. 12. Lakes and the White Well
Walk down to the edge of Lake 1 (there are step
free routes). Landscaping includes several lakes,
woodland, pleasure gardens and earth works.
Across the lake are the remains of a late Victorian
boathouse [11]. Turn left along the lakeside into the
woods. At the lake head is the White Well [12], an
Italianate well-house of about 1870 forming part of
the complex of water-works on the estate.
13. The White House
Take a detour for another modern
moment: the
White House,
Horwood 99
[13] was built
as the Warden’s
House in 1958/9
with an inverted
pitched roof and
other features of
Scandinavian style.
14. 15. Keele Hall
Retrace your route into the woods and follow round
to the right to meet the drive to Keele Hall [14], our
grade II* listed country house, built in sandstone
and designed by leading Victorian architect Anthony
Salvin for Ralph Sneyd in 1856-61 in the ‘Jacobean’
style. Follow the drive into the courtyard. Sadly,
nothing remains of the house from earlier periods,
except for some interior features. The right-hand
wing dates from later, about 1880 and includes a
billiard room, now home to the
Raven Mason ceramics
collection. keele.ac.uk/
discover/artskeele/
whatson/ravenmason.
The most eye-catching
feature is the staircase
tower [15], with an upper
storey or lantern added
by Ralph Sneyd as an
after-thought, it is said.
The Sneyds, known in Staffordshire from at
least the 13th century, bought Keele estate
(much larger than the current campus)
for £334 in 1544. The Knights Templar
previously owned the lands. The first
Keele Hall was built in 1580.
During the hot, dry summer of 2018 aerial
photography by Historic England revealed a
pattern of medieval route ways on the estate.
keele.ac.uk/discover/news/august/
heatwave-reveals/medieval-road-keele.php
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Sneyds’
wealth came from coal mines and ironworks
and also from brick and tile manufacture.
In 1900, Russian Grand Duke Michael
Mikhailovich rented Keele Hall. He married
against the will of his cousin, Tsar Alexander
III and lived in exile. During his ten years
here he enjoyed the lifestyle of an English
country gentleman and once welcomed
King Edward VII to Keele Hall.
16. Freshers Gate
Leave the courtyard through ‘Freshers
Gate’ [16], a student joke of the early
1960s. The opening was made to separate
pedestrians and vehicles, but an enterprising
undergraduate
poking fun at
the Freshers’
traditions of
older institutions
wanted to see
what effect the
painted title
would have!
17. The Chapel
Cross Keele Hall Road back to the campus centre.
Our last site is the Chapel [17], built 1964-1965.
In addition its importance as a modern building
designed by leading architect George G Pace,
it is the UK’s first ecumenical religious building
which accommodates different Christian traditions.
It was intended to be faced with sandstone,
however, a generous gift from the local Berry Hill
Brick Company accounts for the striking blue
Staffordshire brick facing.
The map indicates sites of interest that are away from the central campus, including Keele Village,
Home Farm and the University Observatory. Follow signage on campus.
Find out more about Keele History: keele.ac.uk/discover/ourhistory
Explore ArtsKeele events and collections: keele.ac.uk/discover/artskeele